Britney and Obama: Fight!

By Davey Winder
Sunday, 19 October 2008 16:21

Networking

With the arrival of Britney Spears on Twitter, is the reign of Chief Twit Barack Obama finally over or can the pop princess do it again in the realm of the social network?

From 2001 through to 2006 there was no stopping Britney Spears as far as riding the Internet popularity stakes was concerned, she sat firmly atop the most searched for people in the annual Yahoo search listings.

Then this last year or so Britney went spectacularly off the rails, which bizarrely didn't result in more Internet acclaim but less. At the same time, the rise of Barack Obama was starting to attract online attention.

Indeed, Obama quickly staked his claim to IT greatness by entering into a Twitter debate with John 'lamer' McCain and then launched himself on the iPhone as well as inside the Xbox 360.

Now Britney is fighting back, and hoping to spear Obama on Twitter. The Real Britney has started a Twitter account where fans and media alike can "get updates straight from Britney and her entourage."

The 'and her entourage' bit is the important bit as there seems little evidence that Britney is actually posting updates herself. "Want to eat the same ice cream sandwich Britney did yesterday?" is hardly the kid of inside scoop I was expecting.

Although "Too bad you weren't inside the shoot. Brit had a great time and was dancing around the set" is more like it, I guess. Not that Obama is likely to be sitting there on the campaign trail Twittering away himself either, of course.

Nor are his updates any the more exciting: "Launching a tax calculator" and "In Oxford, Mississippi. Getting ready to debate John McCain" are hardly likely to set the online world on fire.

But these are uber-celebs we are talking about, and people are happy to lap up anything that they say or is said on their behalf. Eager to get that little bit closer by being part of their social network. So who is winning the Britney Vs. Obama Twitter fight? Actually, that's a no brainer and a no contest.

Britney has managed to attract just 937 followers in a little over a week, while Obama has an incredible 101,649 people following him on Twitter. Oh My God, people are leaving Britney alone after all...