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Credit: http://blog.txtblaster.com/ |
The launch of Texts From Last Night (TFLN) in February 2009 has rapidly increased in popularity throughout the past two years. Texts From Last Night is very similar to other sites such as FMyLife and When Parents Text because they utilize user submitted posts. The regularly updated blog was created by two college students from Michigan (Lauren Leto and Ben Bator), in which they collect reader-submitted text messages and simply re-post them for other’s reading pleasure. The text conceals the identity of the person who submits the text message, however, they are prompted to give their area code. Typically, the texts are extremely funny or scandalous which is one of the main reasons why Texts From Last Night has become such a popular site since its launch date.
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| Credit: http://www.thebuzzmedia.com/ |
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| Credit: http://www.benjaminsun.com/ |
Their slogan states, “Remember that text you shouldn't have sent last night? We do.” An example of a text from Rhode Island writes:
(401):
This is a mass text. Does anybody know where I am?
The blog is geared towards college students since the majority of the text messages are associated with alcohol-related incidents. An article on AOL Tech writes, “Those of you who turn into prolific and inappropriate texters after a few drinks, be warned; your SMS ramblings may end up as someone else’s entertainment online.” Once the text message is chosen by the creators to be posted, users have the ability to rate it as a “good night” or a “bad night.” They also have the option to reply to the specific text or order it on a t-shirt (which costs $20.99 including tax/shipping and handling).
Texts From Last Night is just another site illustrating how crucial the users are to essentially keep the blog up and running. If people decided to stop submitting their ridiculous text messages, then there would be no content to look at! This brings us back to the reading in Groundswell and the importance of the Social Technographics Ladder. If Texts From Last Night only had spectators, who are people that read the blog, then this site would not be able to survive. It is also important to note that the people can easily become critics by commenting on someone else’s submitted text since it is quick and anonymous. Furthermore, other users can click a thumbs up or a thumbs down symbol to point out whether they liked your comment or not.
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| Credit: http://socialmediagroup.com/ |
Texts From Last Night continues to attract more and more people everyday. If you have some time, maybe you should check the site out! But then again, maybe you have better things to do than to see drunken people’s text messages.
Your post stuck out to me because, I'll admit, I've spent a fair amount of time browsing through those seemingly endless pages on TFLN. It's so addictive! I agree that it's a perfect example of user-generated content and its place in the groundswell. Users are definitely being taken more seriously as their roles in this movement become essential, even if it's something as trivial as a drunken text message.
ReplyDeleteA company who seems to have tapped into this portion of the groundswell on TFLN is American Apparel. Yet by tapped in, I simply mean they've noticed the heavy traffic this site has received and continues to receive on a daily basis. As a member of their target audience, I feel bombarded by their banner ads and pop ups whenever I log on. Everywhere I look, there's another lace spandex-clad model gawking at me from the sidebar. I feel like American Apparel would be better off with subtle advertisements or a more relatable approach. They're definitely "shouting" in Li and Bernoff's sense of the term, and as a consumer, I'm not too keen to echo.
This is the downside of the constant "connection" that many younger people feel is necessary. I think it's amazing how many people would balk at the idea of turning off their cellphones for even a few minutes, let alone an entire night. However, if they did turn off their phones, they could probably avoid being embarrassed by sites like TFLN - or drunk-dialing an ex. :)
ReplyDeleteEliza, you are right about the American Apparel advertisements on the TFLN pages. I guess they feel like they will pull in the their target consumers by posting numerous ads on this specific website.
ReplyDeleteEmily, I definitely agree that nobody seems to be able to simply turn off their cell phones these days! They would feel lost without that constant connection!
I'm not going to lie, I LOVE these types of websites. When I was an undergrad, if I wanted to delay doing my HW just a bit longer, I would check out TFLN and share posts with my roommates (because usually they were avoiding HW too!). When I found out about When Parents Text, I fell in love again. But I think you bring up a great point with the Social Technographics Ladder - especially because I am definitely a spectator. I've never contributed to these sites. If other people didn't post, these sites wouldn't exist for people like me. It's interesting to see another example of user-generated sites being so popular today. I hope the creators keep posting texts for us spectators to enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I know how to turn my phone off... I've only accomplished that task when it runs out of battery.
ReplyDeleteI also have spent too much time on these sites, laughing at other people's mishaps. Isn't that human nature? And being able to give it a thumbs up or down -- icing on the text cake.
It's so interesting to connect this kind of site, which is pure entertainment, to the groundswell and the Social Technographics Ladder. It makes me realize there's a method to all of this online madness.
I am on the same boat as you Chantal because I have never written anything on the TFLN site either! I am a spectator along with you!
ReplyDeleteSome of the funniest sites are created by user generated material. Examples include
ReplyDeletehttp://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/
http://failblog.org/
Both of these sites depend on user generated material as well as interest. I don't think that the interest for these sites will ever go away because people will always have awkward pictures and fail moments or text while drunk. I always wanted to contribute to these sites but I never have some to capture the moment.
Kerri, I can't tell you how many hours I have wasted going through sites like TFLN or failbook! I love websites like this that can poke fun at our internet culture--but I hate it at the same time because it takes procrastinating to a whole new level.
ReplyDeletePS. I showed my mom whenparentstext once, and she still doesn't get why LOL isn't "Lot's of Love." ;) I wonder when the day that our generation be made fun of for not being internet-savvy will come...