Jack Dorsey reignites ‘Google to buy Twitter’ rumors with ambiguity
Rumors abounded earlier this year that Google was to acquire Twitter. Nothing of the sort happened, but the speculation won’t die, and it’s unlikely to do so all the while the people in the know continue to fudge the issue.
Twitter has been an acquisition target for a couple of big companies over the past couple of years. Facebook famously made a daring offer only to see it rejected. So the largest social network in the world decided to mimic the micro-blogging site by introducing its news feed showing friends’ updates in real-time. And Google has allegedly been sniffing around as well.
In March, after a round of rumors about an acquisition of Twitter, Google CEO Eric Schmidt insisted the company was “unlikely to buy anything in the short term.” However, the company has lots of capital and clearly wants to add to its already considerable pile of properties in the long term.
Just a month later in April, the rumor mill began again after Michael Arrington claimed the two companies were in negotiations. Nothing came of it though, and Twitter soon made it clear it was focusing on building the company.
According to The Telegraph, Jack Dorsey, founder and chairman of Twitter, was speaking at a panel session entitled, ‘European Gang Live’ at LeWeb 09 when he was asked if “Google was planning on acquiring Twitter?” He could have answered with a simple no and a reiteration of current growth plans. But he didn’t. Instead he obtusely said, “There have been no announcements.”
When asked why he hadn’t flatly denied a Google buyout he explained, “It [the answer] just came to me” before concluding, “Twitter is focused on building a sustainable company.”
The wording of the response could have been a simple error on Dorsey’s part, but I doubt it. No one would understand the reaction an ambiguous answer would have on the Twitter crows than Dorsey himself, so it would seem to be very strange.
I personally have no doubt that Google will one day buy Twitter as the two companies seem to be a perfect fit. It’s just a question of timing now for both parties.
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