I don't use Twitter so I can't comment on that.

However, regarding Facebook - that is how I found info on my friends who were in those tornados in Alabama a while back.

And Facebook is how I found info on an old friend of mine who fell, having a severe head injury. I was able to search out his wife, kids, old friends from high school and find out what had happened and how he was doing.

So while I used to scoff at people wasting time on Facebook, I sure don't any longer! Facebook was also a dynamite way to keep in touch with my daughter while whe was doing college study-abroad in Tasmania. And if she wasn't posting, then I could see her Facebook "friends", identify the ones also in Australia, and check their pages for updates on what they and my daughter might be doing. This worked most excellently!