Listening to User Status Updates in Real Time

[liberaliscomputing]

This application aims to live-cast participants' networking status. We plan to add a new edge if a previously unconnected pair of participants is mutually following each other. How can we listen to this event in real time (Twitter streaming API does not support this)?

[Pomax]

Given the size of the network and likelihood of interconnections forming per second, with around 1500 people dropping by over 2 days, is true real time necessary? Or can we "get way with" polling every 1, 2, or even 5 seconds as a first pass and still maintain the dynamic nature of the network evolution?