Twitter Adds Local Trending Topics

When I logged into Twitter tonight, I was surprised by a little pop-up window telling me about Twitter’s new location-based trending topics feature and asking me to set my location. Right now, the feature is only available in five countries and 15 cities, but apparently Twitter is working on expanding that list.

So now I can see what people in New York City are twittering about, although it mostly just tells you what people are currently watching on television. Which I guess is sort of helpful for someone like me, who doesn’t have a TV? For instance, I know that most New Yorkers right now are watching a rerun of the Jersey Shore reunion on MTV, the Lifetime TV movie The Pregnancy Pact, Diary of a Mad Black Woman on BET, Kristin Kreuk making her TV comeback on Chuck, or someone named James Roday on WWE Raw. Who needs Nielsen when you’ve got Twitter?

However, I think the most interesting thing I learned is that there are a lot of NYC-area high-schoolers on Twitter who are apparently taking the Regents exams tomorrow. Sharpen those No. 2 pencils, kiddies!

—Alyssa