Twitter Takes Gold at 2010 Olympics

Twitter Takes Gold: Social Media a Big Winner at the 2010 Olympics

Every four years, the best athletes in every winter sport imaginable, from curling and luge to speed skating and alpine skiing, come together for two weeks of fierce (and frequently painful) competition. Fans from around the world are essentially glued to the TV, even to watch shuffleboard on ice (AKA curling). This year more than ever, fans are also glued to their PDAs and laptops—social media has taken the 2010 Winter Olympics by storm. The interactive feature on the NBC Olympics site, entitled Olympic Pulse, consolidates tweets and blogs from the athletes themselves, allowing followers to take a more personal look at the Olympic experience from the athlete’s point of view.

So what are the all stars chatting about? There are several instances of congratulations to one another, the occasional request for a restaurant recommendation, thanking fans for support and updating followers on the activities of the day.