Almost everyone in the Twitterverse has been waiting for the day the microblogging service drops the other shoe and indicates how it intends to monetize what is now one of the most generous aspects of the Internet.
While it's not exactly a business manifesto, Twitter's new terms of service open the door to advertising and close the door on anyone but individual Tweeters owning their content.
The 15 new terms of service extend widely into privacy and other aspects, but the most significant involve the notion that ads are coming. Twitter has hinted at a premium service in recent weeks to help businesses comprehend their impact within the social network, but this is the clearest sense yet of a vision with ads and content commingling.
"We're leaving the door open for exploration in this area but we don't have anything to announce," the terms of service say.
But not so fast. It also says: "The services may include advertisements, which may be targeted to the Content or information on the Services, queries made through the Services, or other information. . . In consideration for Twitter granting you access to and use of the Services, you agree that Twitter and its third party providers and partners may place such advertising on the Services or in connection with the display of Content of information from the Services whether submitted by you or others."
Somehow, that sounds like a plan.
While it's not exactly a business manifesto, Twitter's new terms of service open the door to advertising and close the door on anyone but individual Tweeters owning their content.
The 15 new terms of service extend widely into privacy and other aspects, but the most significant involve the notion that ads are coming. Twitter has hinted at a premium service in recent weeks to help businesses comprehend their impact within the social network, but this is the clearest sense yet of a vision with ads and content commingling.
"We're leaving the door open for exploration in this area but we don't have anything to announce," the terms of service say.
But not so fast. It also says: "The services may include advertisements, which may be targeted to the Content or information on the Services, queries made through the Services, or other information. . . In consideration for Twitter granting you access to and use of the Services, you agree that Twitter and its third party providers and partners may place such advertising on the Services or in connection with the display of Content of information from the Services whether submitted by you or others."
Somehow, that sounds like a plan.
