There's been lots of talk about Google buying Twitter this past week. It makes sense -- Twitter could potential pose a threat when it comes to search. While still not mainstream, the service has grown more than 1300 percent over the past year.
Yes it's time to take Twitter seriously, and Google knows it.
Here's my concern: Google has a history of buying up social media properties and doing nothing with them. Take Dodgeball, a pioneering mobile social network. Google is in the process of shutting is down. Or Orkut. I just checked my account, I have had 18 profiles views in three years. Maybe it's big in Brazil, but it has yet to take hold elsewhere. At least Blogger is alive and well, although quite buggy lately.
So what will Google do with Twitter? Will they let it die a slow death or will they simply make it searchable like they did Usenet?
In some ways this potential buy feels a bit Microsfty. I hope it's not. Google, remember, your own motto here, and don't be evil.
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