Whoever owns Twitter runs the world......is not a sensible strategicscenario

The story today has to be from Business Insider "Now Google Is Going To Have To Pay $8 Billion To Buy Twitter"

I would agree that:
Follow has more value to a user in a mobile world than search
Follow could add value to linear TV from the entertainment in real-time comments

However, there is probably very little wealth creation from owning a platform such as follow (unlike search) as the benefit is for all (in the market) and the cost of operating is for one. Follow works if everyone can create and consume content, irrespective of technology or content.

The prime issue I see with Follow, through my narrow glasses, and specifically Twitter, is the hash tag. There needs to be a universal hash tag generation tool or recommendation of the right hash tag. Now that Twitter has $200m in cash and a £3.8bn valuation I would rush out and buy a service such as Shazam. The logic would be that the service would listen to what TV, radio, conference you are at and use a common and automatic hash tag for all those engaging with the same content at that time. It removes spelling, long unique hash tags, too many tags etc etc.