Twitter allows users to send and receive short messages called tweets that are up to 140 characters in length. Tweets are usually public and sent to a user's followers. A small 2009 study found that the majority of tweets fall into the categories of conversational messages or passing along information, while a smaller percentage are self-promotional, spam, or news-related. The document provides some suggestions for public figures and organizations to follow on Twitter to stay informed on news, trends, and topics of interest. The last few tweets displayed are examples of people commenting on an awards show.