Connecting the Dots on Facebook’s Smear Campaign

Perhaps you’ve probably heard: Facebook and Google are at war, and Facebook’s not afraid to play dirty. Thursday’s revelation that the social networking site hired PR firm Burston-Marsteller to plant a negative story about Google’s privacy settings raises a number of questions. Like, “Who at Facebook thought this was a good idea?” The company isn't responding to the question right now. Until they do, it helps to look at the players involved. There’s Burston-Marsteller, the global PR firm run by CEO Mark Penn. There’s Jim Goldman, the former Silicon Valley bureau chief for CNBC (and frequent target of high school-style ridicule). He’s become the fall guy for Burston-Marsteller. There’s Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s universally praised COO. And then there’s Elliot Schrage, Facebook’s VP of communications and public policy. Penn, of course, is a Washington heavy hitter: he worked as a pollster to President Clinton during both of his terms and the Washington Post noted how “thoroughly integrated into the policymaking operation” he’d become. Penn’s also no stranger to criticism from Washington observers: he gained notoriety for missteps as chief strategist to Hillary Clinton during her 2008 Presidential bid. He eventually stepped down after feuding with other aides, and for reportedly offering Clinton some of her worst advice (like, emphasize Barack Obama’s foreignness). Penn’s also no stranger to the tech world—he’s credited with making Microsoft into one of the country’s most... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'

[ AdWeek | 2011-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #googles head #silicon valley #focus attention

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Connecting the Dots on Facebook’s Smear Campaign'


Facebook won't exempt publishers from new political ad policy

If publishers think Facebook would give them an exemption from its new political ad disclosure policy, they have another thing coming. The social network's Campbell Brown has rejected calls for publisher exemptions to the "paid for" label in a blog... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2018-06-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook won #campbell brown


Snapchat is welcoming outside developers, but doesn't want to make the same mistakes as Facebook

Snapchat is opening up to outside developers and apps for the first time in a bid to boost user growth with new features and collaborations. In doing so, the video messaging app is following the footsteps of its rival Facebook, which first welcomed outside developers in 2007. That helped... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-06-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Google is using Facebook fatigue to woo publishers

Through mounds of grants, training and in-house expertise, Google’s impact on the publishing business is pervasive. The post Google is using Facebook fatigue to woo publishers appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post google #in-house expertise #publishing business


News groups ask Facebook to stop treating media ads like political ads

News organizations want Facebook to stop treating them like political and issues-based advertisers, claiming that the social network's new rules could negatively impact how the public views journalism.On Monday, media advocacy groups addressed a letter to CEO Mark Zuckerberg requesting that... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news sites #american society #digital content


Publishers Are Seeing Traffic From More Than Just Facebook and Google

For publishers, the past two years were a lesson in chasing traffic and finding the true value of an audience. Some have shut down and others have undergone layoffs. The ever-growing threat of a simple algorithm change continues to loom over publishers, but Parse.ly's latest traffic report has a... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2018-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


BA launches rate relief campaign

Bookshops are asking to be given the same business-rate relief as pubs, arguing they help to drive social cohesion in a similar way to drinking establishments. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Facebook advertises for 'fake news' fact checkers

Firm changes initial ad for ‘news credibility specialists’ to ‘news publisher specialists’Facebook has advertised for “news credibility specialists” to fact-check content that appears on its site, after accusations of bias and the ongoing controversy over fake news. Almost two years after the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fake news


SCL rebrands as Libraries Connected

The Society of Chief Librarians is rebranding as a new charity called Libraries Connected. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #libraries connected #chief librarians


Facebook Audience Network Added Auction Bidding for In-App Ads

Brands can now bid in auctions for in-application advertising on Facebook Audience Network. The social network opened up header bidding via Facebook Audience Network last March, and head of publisher solutions partnerships Vijay Balan said in a blog post that publishers have seen "significant... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2018-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #header bidding #thousand impressions


The Rundown: With Watch news shows, Facebook still holds the cards

Facebook is paying news publishers, but the terms show the power is still with the platform. The post The Rundown: With Watch news shows, Facebook still holds the cards appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Facebook embraces the mobile app version of header bidding

Facebook, looking to grow its ad business outside its own apps, has struck partnerships that enable it to plug into ad auctions run by ad exchanges like MoPubowned by TwitterFyber and Max. Facebook can now also work directly with publishers like Rovio, Talefun and GameInsight, which manage their... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #real time #ad space #demand sources #ad network


Facebook gets CNN to bring Anderson Cooper to its new media venture

Anderson Cooper is bringing a version of his CNN show to Facebook, joining Shepard Smith of Fox News as the two main media stars tapped to join the social network's fledgling news platform.On Wednesday, Facebook announced an initial lineup of seven news programs produced by networks and digital... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #initial lineup #digital publishers #video service #important step #andrew morse #exec vp #general manager #quality journalism


BookExpo 2018: Connecting Children’s Books with Readers

Authors, publishers, and booksellers gathered for a panel discussion on efforts to reach young readers Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #panel discussion


Facebook Users Will Be Able to Add Licensed Music to Their Videos

Sing along with Facebook? The social network announced Tuesday that it is testing the ability for people to include music in the personal videos they create, and it introduced a new feature, Lip Sync Live. Facebook now has licenses through millions of songs through deals with music publishers... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2018-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook users #include music


Facebook is losing its cool as teens pick YouTube and Snapchat

Three years ago, Facebook was the dominant social media site among U.S. teens, visited by 71 percent of people in that magic, trendsetting demographic. Not anymore.Now only 51 percent of kids ages 13 to 17 use Facebook, according to Pew Research Center. The world's largest social network has... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook-owned instagram #single platform #survey published


BookExpo 2018: IPS Starts Translation Campaign

At BookExpo, Ingram Publishers Services is introducing a seven-month-long promotion to encourage booksellers to sell more books in translation. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #encourage booksellers


Facebook Is Giving Scientists Its Data to Fight Misinformation

For the first time, researchers will be able to access Facebook's data and publish their findings without pre-approval from the company. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2018-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fight misinformation


In the post-Facebook era, publishers see increase in direct traffic

Chartbeat is publishing new data today that shows that more mobile readers are coming to publishers’ sites and apps directly than from social. The post In the post-Facebook era, publishers see increase in direct traffic appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post-facebook era #direct traffic #data today #mobile readers


How Kiplinger uses Facebook ads to grow its newsletters

The personal finance publisher has used the platform to get newsletter subscribers. The post How Kiplinger uses Facebook ads to grow its newsletters appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook ads