Twitter 'in talks' to buy Justin Bieber-backed start-up Shots

Selfie-sharing app predominantly aimed at young, female audience

Twitter is reportedly in talks to buy Shots, a selfie-sharing photo app backed by pop star Justin Bieber.

Speculation about Twitter’s acquisition plans has reached fever pitch after the social network’s finance boss Anthony Noto accidentally tweeted his intention to buy an unidentified company earlier this week.

“I still think we should buy them,” Noto wrote to his more than 9,000 followers. “He is on your schedule for Dec. 15 or 16 — we will need to sell him. I have a plan.“

His eagle-eyed followers noted the former Goldman Sachs banker follows a handful of employees an Mic, an media start-up targeting millennials, but it seems it’s Shots that really caught his eye.

According to sources speaking to CNBC, Twitter is particularly interested in the company’s three million users, of which nearly two-thirds are women under 24, a key demographic for advertisers.

Shots was founded by John and Sam Shahidi with a little help from Bieber, who invested about $1 million in the start-up and often treats fans to moody selfies and inspirational quotes.

Bieber recently claimed the top spot in Forbes annual list of highest-earning celebrities, making an estimated $80 million in 2013, which probably comes in handy given his mounting legal bills.

The Baby singer has been embroiled in a number of controversies this year after he was arrested for careless driving and resisting police in Miami Beach in January.

He was also handed a $80,900 restitution charge for the damage caused to his former neighbour's mansion in California after he threw eggs at it. Oh, baby.