Twitter buys Dasient to curb ad spam, malware
updated 08:35 am EST, Tue January 24, 2012
Twitter picks up Dasient as ads kick in
Web security firm Dasient confirmed late Monday that it had been bought by Twitter. The young startup is best known for curbing malware and spam in ads on major ad networks. Terms of the deal weren't given out, but Dasient would be closing its existing business in the switch.
The acquisition is coming half a year after Twitter started running promoted posts as ads and would likely see Dasient used to prevent abuse, either through a heavy amount of ads or through malicious ads. Dasient might similarly be used to reduce the amount of casual mention- and DM-based spam that has been a regular problem.
Twitter has been hoping to make its micro-update service friendlier to newcomers, and scrubbing hostile ads would be key to keeping customers for longer.
