Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

Despite having more than 300 million users, Twitter has struggled to make a profit and keep its investors happy. Yet, the service has arguably been good for public dialogues and news gathering.

So as Twitter considers a sale, maybe it's worth pondering the idea of Twitter getting out from under the pressures of Wall Street and turning itself into a nonprofit.

Twitter at crossroads

Grassroots movements have made great use of Twitter. Take sexual assault victims. Laura Palumbo of National Sexual Violence Resource Center points to one hashtag, #Cosby, that trended when there was a lot of discussion of accusations against Bill Cosby. Palumbo says victims used it "to contribute their perspectives to the same threads as media, lawmakers and the other audiences who are following these stories."