Would you advertise on Twitter?

This morning mobiThinking received an email from Twitter – seemingly sent on Thursday (postal strike maybe?) alerting us, along with all other customers no doubt, to changes in the terms and conditions.
Changes weren’t outlined in the email (why not?), but redirected readers to a blog (what’s with the picture of ice cream by the way?) and the terms and conditions.
In case you’ve missed the hype, Twitter is a short messaging service where people write/send messages called ‘Tweets’ of up to 140 characters in length via mobile texting, instant message and Web. These updates are posted on the author’s Twitter profile or blog and sent to people who have signed up to ‘follow’ them who read online or via the mobile phone.

Highlights from the Ts&Cs include:
Advertising — “We leave the door open for advertising”;
Ownership — Twitter is allowed to “use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute” tweets;
Redistribution — “You authorize us to make content available via our APIs” i.e. to various third-party applications;
SPAM — Abusive behavior and spam (still) aren’t allowed.

1) Advertising on Twitter:
Expect endless media comment about U-turns, selling out, end of an era etc… with denials from Twitter.

But the important questions we need answered are:
a) How would advertising on Twitter work?
b) Do brands want to advertise on Twitter?
c) What should the rules be? Can I advertise on my competitor’s Tweet?
What’s your theory?

Here’s the bit about advertising from the terms and conditions:
“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. The types and extent of advertising by Twitter on the Services are subject to change. 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 or information from the Services whether submitted by you or others.
TIP> We’re leaving the door open for exploration in this area but we don’t have anything to announce.”

2) Ownership of Content (with a capital C):
Expect some media comparison with other distribution channels, such as email providers exerting rights over email content or mobile networks exerting rights over text messages or phone conversations.

The important questions are:
a) What does this entitle Twitter to do with your content?
b) What does this mean for brands that use Twitter (and other social networks that enforce the same rule) as a marketing channel?
mobiThinking wants to know if this matters. Can you help?

Here’s the bit about ownership from the terms and conditions:
“You retain your rights to any Content you submit, post or display on or through the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute such Content in any and all media or distribution methods (now known or later developed).
TIP> This license is you authorizing us to make your Tweets available to the rest of the world and to let others do the same. But what’s yours is yours – you own your content.
You agree that this license includes the right for Twitter to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals who partner with Twitter for the syndication, broadcast, distribution or publication of such Content on other media and services, subject to our terms and conditions for such Content use.
TIP> Twitter has an evolving set of rules for how API developers can interact with your content. These rules exist to enable an open ecosystem with your rights in mind.
Such additional uses by Twitter, or other companies, organizations or individuals who partner with Twitter, may be made with no compensation paid to you with respect to the Content that you submit, post, transmit or otherwise make available through the Services.
We may modify or adapt your Content in order to transmit, display or distribute it over computer networks and in various media and/or make changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to any requirements or limitations of any networks, devices, services or media.”

Only one result is for sure… this will result in lot’s more money-can’t-buy publicity for loss-making newcomer Twitter in the mainstream media. Do marketing directors at other social networks cringe every time they turn on their TV or open their newspaper? Or is that too cynical?

Comment below or email editor (at) mobiThinking.com.


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