I really like your analysis and conclusions. I’ve been studying social networking for much of the past 20 months and have noticed a similar pattern. I just hadn’t identified the distinctions as clearly.

I do know that on Facebook, I don’t automatically approve friends. Like in the non-virtual world, I want some areas of common interest with my friends. Your point is well taken that I don’t concern myself with who follows me on Twitter. On the other hand, I do select the people I follow based on common interests.

By the way, I’ve heard some Internet Marketers with a much higher age demographic for Facebook than I’ve seen mentioned here. Most of my friends on Facebook are over 40, some like me over 60. I use it to keep in touch with family, friends, and business associates as well as to develop business relationships.

One other point made in the Comments above is now out of date with the advent of TwitPic to share photos on Twitter, http://twitpic.com/.

Twitter can be what ever you can think up to do with it. Raise stock, sell a book, or calm an upset client. Its the best tool for staying on top of the news that matters to me, as well as an immediate line to my social network.

I use Twhirl on my Mac and Twittelator on my iPod Touch to access Twitter- I practically never use the web. These interfaces give me a dynamic experience of constantly-updating microblog streams by people I’ve purposely “befriended” based on common interests. I did not grow up, go to school, or work with the majority of these people, therefore I feel a greater sense of freedom in tweeting about my feelings, political leanings and activities. If I do not want to be followed by – or follow- someone, I stop following them or block them without worrying about repercussions based on past history. I have two Twitter accounts: one that focuses on a certain topic of interest for a group of about 30 people, and one that is about “anything else.” Although I’m not fully hiding my identity behind either account, I do feel more freedom to express myself on Twitter than I do on Facebook, where people know me more intimately (and where you are assumed to have one account only, using your real name and photo).

I access Facebook through its web interface 99% of the time. The other times, I’ll use my iPod Touch’s Facebook app. I prefer these uses to the uglier and less-convenient cell phone SMS service, as my LG phone’s design doesn’t make quick text responses easy. Neither the iPhone App nor the web interface provides me with the same dynamic experience of Twitter- I have to update the Facebook screen and look at all sorts of pages to see what is happening with my contacts – comments, messages, walls, etc. This is confusing, and is an inefficient use of my time.

Another issue: Facebook contacts consist of friends, coworkers, and school mates from my past and present. I don’t necessarily want all my thoughts known to people I physically interact with every day or week. What if I need to call in sick from work or want to play hooky from classes? I then have to be careful about what I put on Facebook that day (even my professors are on my account!). On my Twitter account I am more free to post comments at any time about anything because I don’t physically interact with any of them.

Facebook and Twitter serve completely different purposes, represent two very different audiences, and offer two very different experiences. I’ll take Twitter over Facebook any time.

I use it because people insist on connecting with me that way. But I really don’t care much for it.

Now, Twitter, THERE’S something I like. With the right client, I can listen to what’s important to me and get updates too while muting out the rest of the noise (spam).

I have had more success connecting with and getting to know folks via Twitter in a span of 5 months, than I have on Facebook in 2 years. Go figure.

Facebook, on the other hand, has a rather bewildering UI, overcrowded with silly apps and no clear road-map. I’m there, but mostly to feed in my Twitter updates and blog posts. I agree FB has great potential, but it needs serious editing.

If I can make one suggestion: Name your sources. “Recent findings” immediately sets alarms off in a reader’s mind that the data may be suspect.

This is where Twitter comes in. I feel that Twitter is like a nice red wine, sophisticated and aged, while Facebook is like PBR where everyone does it. Twitter has become my source for what I read during the day and connecting with experts in the field I normally would never have known or heard of. Then with Facebook’s ability to show my tweets it enables me to share with the network I’ve built up there. Assisting me with my overall exposure and increasing the traffic to my personal blog.

Twitter is on the cusp of becoming mainstream and those who are not web-savvy will soon see the power of its services as I’ve found from expereince.

Where as facebook your tapped out at 5,000. For me that happened months ago. They do allow you to have a fan page but that is a one way street. It certainly isn’t the same thing. I still don’t understand why put a limit on it.

Twitter also encourages talking to people and getting to know people where facebook is set up more for people you already know. But you did mention that.

I love twitter and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get the word out about what they do and offer.

Happy Twittering!