Demi threatens to quit Twitter over TV show

Twitter, the social networking site du jour for the media savvy, may have shot itself in the foot by getting involved in a TV venture that could encourage stalking. The idea has sparked panic among Twitter's celebrity users, two of whom, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, have threatened to quit the site if the reports are true.
 
Fears surfaced after two production companies, Reveille and Brillstein Entertainment, announced they were developing a show that encourages people to compete over "trailing" their favourite celebs using the updates they post on Twitter.
 
Kutcher and Moore are avid Twitter users, regularly posting messages - known as Tweets - that alert their fans to what they are up to. The pair often send each other love messages and Kutcher once famously uploaded a picture of Moore bending over in a bikini while she did the ironing.
 
On hearing reports of the TV venture, both Kutcher and Moore fear it could lead to their being harassed by other users. Kutcher wrote: "Wow I hope this isn't true. I really don't like being sold out. May have to take a Twitter hiatus." In response to a query from a fan he explained: "I don't want to be stalked!!!"
 
His wife Moore 'tweeted': "I hope this isn't true - if it is our Twitter time may come to a quick and sad end!" The actress added: "Connecting directly with people is different than being exploited by others."
 
According to the production company, the show's "revolutionary" new format would involve "putting ordinary people on the trail of celebrities". However, after sensing the backlash Twitter moved swiftly to distance itself from the TV project.
 
"Just to be clear, Twitter is not making a television show," it announced. "We have little to do with their efforts but wish them success."
 
An exodus of celebrity users could spell disaster for the San Francisco-based site, which is still trying to work out how to become profitable despite the huge amount of publicity it generates.

The social networking sector is notoriously fickle, catering to a young market that swiftly moves from one brand to another, meaning sites are always looking for ways to stay in the public eye. Yesterday it emerged that Facebook, one of Twitter's main rivals, was now worth two-thirds of its value 18 months ago. ·