Trick or tweet

I was shocked, (ahem), to learn this week that more than 40 per cent of Tweets are pointless babble.

US research firm Pear Analytics studied Twitter patterns for a fortnight, finding that 37.5 per cent of the 2,000 Tweets collected were conversational, quasi-instant messaging scribblings.

Almost one in ten was classed as either self-promotion or spam while just 8.7 per cent passed on worthwhile news. This left the remaining 40.5 per cent in the pointless babble category, typified by "I'm eating a sandwich" type self-obsessed dross.

Interesting stuff - though I'd like to see this research outfit stretch themselves a little. For their next study they should discover what percentage of bears favour outdoor defecation. Or perhaps the religious makeup of the average pontiff.