Twitter not for sale, insists co-founder

Twitter has become a Web 2.0 phenomenon

Popular micro-blogging site Twitter has ruled out a merger or acquisition of the company, but said that it would be keen to partner with other organisations, such as Google, according to a Reuters report.

Commentators have speculated that Twitter, like Facebook, needs to find a way of monetising its service in order to survive in its present form in the economic downturn. There were also rumours last week that Google may be interested in acquiring the firm, which was launched in 2006.

However, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone said in an interview with Reuters that the company is capable of developing its own viable business model, and does not need the financial security of a parent company.

Stone added that Twitter would be open to working with Google in the future, especially as it has just launched its own real-time search functionality on the site.

Twitter was one of the fastest growing web sites in the UK last year, according to figures released in January by online research firm Hitwise.

UK traffic to the site increased by a staggering 974 per cent over the period, boosted by high-profile celebrity users including US president Barack Obama, who used the tool to reach voters and solicit donations.