Speaking at a tech event in San Francisco, Dick Costolo insisted that while he is excited by all the buzz that the Occupy Movement is generating, he cannot help but feel that the thousands of protesters who use the service multiple times a day would feel pretty ridiculous if they found out.
"I'd feel just awful telling them now," said the 48-year-old. "They've clearly put a lot of effort into these demonstrations and have repeatedly made known their disdain for huge businesses. I just don't have the heart to tell them that Twitter is one of those businesses."
Using hashtags such as #occupywallstreet and #wearethe99percent, huge numbers of demonstrators have taken to their Twitter profiles to heighten awareness of the inherent corruption within mega corporations - seemingly unaware that Twitter Inc. has an estimated net worth of approximately $3.7 billion.
"I might break it to them gently in a lunchtime Tweet or something, I don't know," continued Costolo. "I imagine they'll be pretty pissed when they find out. Perhaps the best thing to do is just keep it to myself. For now at least."
As a newly appointed member of President Obama's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, Costolo's power extends beyond just social media - another fact that he has remained silent on since the Occupy protests began back in September.
"It would blow their minds if they found out that I sit on a government committee, while concurrently raking in more money daily than they'll ever make in a life time. No, at this point, what they don't know won't hurt them."
Image credit: public domain.