In the ever-changing world of the Internet, social-networking sites are constantly popping up and changing. Myspace was very popular when it launched in 2003, but started to be phased out by Facebook in the mid-2000s. Could Twitter now be surpassing Facebook?

Twitter — which launched in 2006, a few years after Myspace and Facebook — has recently become vastly popular. Twitter references have begun to show up on TV and in songs such as Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller’s song, “Loitering.”

People claim they have had Twitter for a long time, but it has really become popular within the past couple of years.

Freshman architecture major Jon Rankin, who has only had a Twitter for a few months, said, “I like Twitter better over Facebook because Facebook is becoming clogged with random stuff.”

This could be one big reason that Twitter is gaining more users. Being tagged in random pictures of shoes and purses can get really annoying, really fast. This kind of spam is very likely a reason why Facebook is losing its appeal.

Another cause for the gradual migration from Facebook to Twitter could include the feeling of freedom. Twitter users feel it is easier to express themselves by tweeting because they feel they are less likely to be criticized for their thoughts and opinions.

Sophomore pre-nursing major Kaitlin Sharkus said she prefers Twitter because “you can tweet what you’re doing without anyone caring. Facebook is more social; Twitter is more individual.”

Freshman architecture major Paul Hazelet agrees: “I like Twitter better because I can post whatever I want. My parents are on Facebook, and I feel like I am restricted as to what I can post because I like to have my privacy from my parents.”

Twitter seems to be the growing trend, but there are some who are still not jumping on the bandwagon. There are some downfalls to Twitter that are keeping social media users on Facebook.

“It’s severely limited due to its character cap at 140,” said recent graduate Michael Crow. “It forces people to be concise with their statements, something that just cannot be done all the time.”

Crow makes a valid point. Facebook allows for more elaborate thoughts to be expressed because of its lack of restrictions. It also offers games, applications, photo albums and helpful group pages, where as Twitter is solely 140-character-maximum statements and pictures.

Social-networking sites are constantly changing and updating. Myspace has been ditched by most people; it’s only a matter of time and technology before a new site will wipe out Facebook and Twitter both. Just as Twitter is currently sneaking up on Facebook, Instagram may take Twitter off the radar in due time.