It’s quite easy to say that 2010 was the year of the Internet:
- Facebook was made into a film called “The Social Network”
- Twitter grew to new heights
- Photoshop was a superstar in more than once instance for making people beautiful…or lack there of…
- New non-partisan organization, No Labels, replicated another organization’s logo and Gothamist caught it
- Mashable held their Summit
- YouTube launched a few careers
But most of all, people connected, shared and helped one another.
The Internet became the place to make important announcements and before the world new it, online was the new, ultimate “it” place.
On December 14, 2010 Twitter came out with their “Most Powerful Tweets of 2010″ — it’s definitely worth a look to see the true power of what makes viral — simply that, viral.
1 – Ann Curry
Thu Feb 05
00:34:31 +0000 2009After the massive 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, Doctors Without Borders flew in a team of physicians to assist the wounded, but they were unable to get clearance to land the plane. Reporter Ann Curry used Twitter to convince the U.S. Air Force to allow the flight to land.
2 – The White House
Fri Apr 10
21:10:30 +0000 2009When Russian President joined Twitter, the White House immediately reached out to welcome him to the Twitterverse. Obama’s quote: Red phones no longer required.
3 – Leigh Fazzina
Sat Oct 04
01:17:58 +0000 2008Twitter to the rescue: When she crashed her bike in a forest with no cell phone reception, a gravely injured triathlete saved her own life when she tweeted out a desperate call for help.
4 – BP Public Relations
Wed May 19
19:57:44 +0000 2010Catastrophe is a strong word, let’s all agree to call it a whoopsie daisy.
After the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, causing one of the largest in oil spills in history, it was a parody account, not BP’s official Twitter account, that defined the discussion–spoofing the company’s attempts to improve its public image. “Gulf Oil Spill†was the #1 Trend on Twitter in 2010.
5 – Presidencia Ecuador
Mon Jan 04
23:44:40 +0000 2010Gobierno declara estado de Excepción #Ecuador #30S
In late September, civil unrest in Ecuador increased dramatically after a new law cut benefits for public servants. President Rafael Correa accused opposition and military forces of a coup attempt, and used Twitter to declare a state of emergency in a Tweet. Leaders across Latin America and the world tweeted in response to show their support for the people of Ecuador.
6 – Clarence House
Tue Oct 26
13:38:30 +0000 2010In a royal first, Clarence House, the Prince of Wales’ private office, created a Twitter account to announce Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton. Not how Henry VIII did it.
7 – Jonathan Schwartz
Fri Dec 14
14:41:43 +0000 2007When the CEO of one of the most high-profile technology companies in the world announced he was stepping down, he kept his resignation letter to 140 characters. Jonathan Schwartz left Sun Microsystems with this simple message:
8 – John M. Foster
Fri Jul 04
17:30:35 +0000 2008Congratulations to Raul Labrador on a hard-earned win, and best of luck as Idaho’s next Congressman.
Twitter was a powerful campaign tool during the 2010 U.S. Midterm Elections, and Election Night results often broke first on Twitter. Demonstrating how quickly the world of political communications is changing, Idaho incumbent Walt Minnick’s campaign manager issued a concession Tweet.
9 – Carles Puyol
Thu Apr 22
19:49:00 +0000 2010Gran ambiente en la rua!!orgulloso de ver a tanta gente feliz. http://twitpic.com/24qkg5
The FIFA World Cup final represented the largest period of sustained activity for an event in Twitter’s history: during the final game, people from 172 countries tweeted in 27 different languages. Twitter put fans in direct touch with teams, players and commentators–and when Spain celebrated its big win in the Final, defender Carles Puyol captured the zeal with a Twitpic of the scene from his perch at the victory ceremony.
10 – Conan O’Brien
Thu Feb 18
20:17:16 +0000 2010After his departure from the Tonight Show, Conan O’Brien used Twitter to announce that he was hitting the road for two-month-long comedy tour, called “Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television.” Fans jumped at the chance to see Conan live: shows were almost sold out in a matter of hours.
© 2010 Twitter, Inc.

And some more info from Twitter’s blog:-
#Hindsight2010: Ten Most Powerful Tweets
What makes a Tweet powerful?
Every day, we are inspired by people using Twitter in unexpected ways to make the world a better place. Powerful Tweets have impact, relevance and resonance. In just 140 characters, you can change the game, make a difference in someone’s life, offer perspective, or bring aid to people in need. In this installment of #Hindsight2010, we honor the Ten Most Powerful Tweets of 2010.
From a cry for help in the woods to a call for aid for a nation, the Most Powerful Tweets tell ten different stories about Twitter’s value in people’s daily lives. At the top of the Most Powerful Tweets list, journalist Ann Curry used Twitter to gain permission for a Doctors Without Borders plane to land in Haiti to assist the earthquake victims. Other powerful moments: The White House connected to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Twitter, an injured triathlete used Twitter to save her own life, a parody account defined the discussion about the Gulf Oil Spill, and the Ecuadorian government used Twitter to declare a state of emergency.
To choose the Top Ten Most Powerful Tweets, the Twitter team reviewed Tweets, news stories and international events from the past year. With more than 25 billion Tweets sent in 2010, narrowing the list to just ten Tweets was a huge challenge. The final selections represent the dynamic ways that people use Twitter in the political world, for disaster relief, and to add commentary to news events, sports and entertainment.
Personally, I’m excited to see what 2011 has to offer!
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Sasha Muradali runs the Little Pink Book. She holds a B.S. in Public Relations from the University of Florida with a minor in Dance (’07) and an M.A. in International Administration from the University of Miami (’08). She loves Twitter and all things social media, so you should find her @SashaHalima or get a copy of the Little Pink Book delivered to your Kindle.
Copyright © 2009-2010 Sasha H. Muradali. All Rights Reserved.
