American Idol Allows Contestants To Use Social Networking Sites

    The ninth season of American Idol features several changes like new judge Ellen Degeneres and the familiar Coca Cola cups being replaced with Vitaminwater Zero ones, but the biggest change on the show might end up being the contestants presence on social networking sites.

    In previous years, contestants on the reality talent competition were prohibited from using sites such as MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter.  This year, the top 24 are popping up all over the Internet.

    Letting contestants post on these sites could change the way the game is played as television's biggest show displays signs of slowing down.  Now, contestants can campaign for America's votes on a 24/7 basis, not only when they perform on stage.  And will a particular singer's popularity online influence the way people vote?

   Andrew Garcia who has received plenty of airtime with the human interest angle as well as his guitar rendition of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" is currently the most followed of all the contestants on Twitter with 6,513 followers.  The leader on Facebook is John Park with 3,920 fans.

    When Idol teamed up with iTunes to allow downloads of contestants' performances, sales information wasn't released at all until after the winner was crowned to keep America in suspense over who the front runners were.  Doesn't social media allow that to happen?  Probably, but there has got to be some way to keep fans loyal and connected with the onslaught of X Factor looming.

    These online accounts certainly won't feature any controversial or particularly thought provoking posts and comments- they are no doubt closely monitored by  Idol staff to ensure compliance with whatever rules they have for posting content.  Still, it just might be the thing that keeps Idol relevant as it enters its second decade on air.

    You can view the entire contestant directory and follow your favorites by clicking here.