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

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Egyptian student will be allowed to leave U.S. voluntarily after Facebook threat against Trump

An Egyptian student at a Southern California flight school who was facing deportation for a Facebook threat against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will be allowed to leave the country voluntarily, an immigration agency spokeswoman said. During a hearing Friday morning at U.S.... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #egyptian student


Facebook comments about Donald Trump could mean deportation for Egyptian student

An Egyptian student at a Southern California flight school is being held by immigration authorities and facing possible deportation after allegedly posting on Facebook that if he killed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump he would be doing the world a favor. Emad Elsayed, 23, was taken... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-03-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook comments #egyptian student


Facebook is letting publishers use Instant Articles to collect e-mail newsletter signups

Facebook has been running publishers’ content through Instant Articles for about a year, and now it’s letting some of them test newsletter sign-up messages. The New York Times and Washington Post are among those who are participating. The test seems addressed at the concern publishers have about... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How The Washington Post, Slate and other publishers are using Facebook Instant Articles

It's been almost a year since Facebook launched Instant Articles, giving publishers the promise of fast-loading pages if they gave up control over their content and distribution. With a rollout to all publishers just weeks away, participants including The Washington Post, Slate, LittleThings,... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fast-loading pages #positive results


Facebook co-founder sells The New Republic to rich liberal publisher

After four years of running one of magazine publishing's great trophy properties, Facebook multimillionaire Chris Hughes has found a new owner for The New Republic. Win McCormack, an Oregonian... To view the full story, click the title link. Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2016-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #magazine publishing #win mccormack


Facebook Launches Canvas So Publishers Can Create "Instant" Ads

Canvas ads mimic the features of Facebook's Instant Articles platform.Facebook has officially rolled out its Canvas ad platform. Canvas has been in testing since last year and has often been referred to as "instant ads" because of the way it mimics Facebook's Instant Articles platform for... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2016-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Campaigners protest closure of London's Feminist Library

Over 100 campaigners gathered last night to protest the eviction of London's Feminist Library from the building that has housed it for 30 years. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New York magazine gets serious about video, especially on Facebook

Feeling the Facebook rush, New York Media is investing more toward video production in 2016, starting with hiring Business Insider and TV vet Matt Johnston as its first executive producer of video. The publisher will focus on creating news-driven video -- instead of recurring series -- for... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #video production #facebook appeared #york magazine #york media #executive producer #social platforms #top priority


Authenticity and immediacy: Why USA Today’s FTW uses Facebook live video

Facebook has quickly become a major player when it comes to video. Ditto for its live video streaming product, which publishers have started to use to inject some immediacy into their coverage. For FTW, Facebook's live video platform has given it a taste of live broadcast during the NBA All-Star... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Inside Axel Springer’s answer to Facebook’s Instant Articles

Upday has launched as part of the partnership between Samsung and Axel Springer. The news aggregator platform will be pre-installed on Samsung devices, who chose to host Upday because it mixes human and algorithm curation. CEO and former Axel Springer executive vice president Peter Würtenberger... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #axel springer #share revenue #rss feed


HuffPost Divorce: Publishers go niche with Facebook pages

Publishers have tended to think of their Facebook audiences as a single group with a single set of interests. But as more sites launch more verticals aimed at different readers, many are taking that approach to Facebook. BuzzFeed has 90 Facebook pages, while Huffington Post has 79 and Mashable... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-02-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook pages #facebook audiences #main pages #huffington post


Facebook's Instant Articles will draw from more news outlets

Facebook first announced its so-called Instant Articles last May, serving up news articles quickly for mobile consumption. However, the list of publishers was super limited, but that's about to change. Starting in April, the social network will open... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2016-02-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news outlets #mobile consumption


Tasting Table is looking beyond Facebook to make money off video

Like other publishers, Tasting Table is growing on Facebook, where it did 13.6 million views in January. But while Facebook might offer reach, it doesn’t yet present a revenue opportunity, which is why the company is also focusing on distributing content on its own website and new Apple TV app.... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-02-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #video appeared #make money #distributing content


Facebook apologises for blocking Viz magazine's page

Satirical comic insists ‘we’re not going to tone anything down’ after social network removes its page ‘in error’Facebook has apologised for blocking Viz magazine’s brand page in “error”.The frequently foul-mouthed comic, a parody of titles such as The Beano and Dandy, took to Twitter on Monday... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Viz magazine blocked from Facebook

Profane parody of tabloids and comics tweeted that Facebook had hidden its Facebook page and threatened it with deletion The frequently foul-mouthed comic Viz has had its brand page blocked by Facebook.The almost 40-year-old Viz, a parody of titles like Beano but with frequently risque language... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-02-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Adds 7 Publishers to Anthology Branded-Video Program

That number should ramp up quickly as Facebook expands the Anthology program ahead of this year's Digital Content NewFronts, adding Brit & Co, Complex Media, Conde Nast, Discovery Communications, NowThis, PopSugar and Refinery29."The selection of these new partners gets to the crux of the... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2016-02-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #diverse audience #create content #brand partnerships


Trade runs pro and 'anti'-Valentine's Day campaigns

The book trade is aiming to put books at the heart of Valentine's Day, with publishers unveiling a range of campaigns reflecting that there is a light and a dark side to the day. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book trade #dark side


In search of Facebook love, publishers form link-sharing pacts with each other

Publishers that are scouring for more readers are digging into the audiences of rival sites. Through what some people call "social syndication," The Daily Dot, Bustle, Mental Floss and others are partnering up to cross-post articles in each other's Facebook pages. Often, this means teaming up... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #daily dot #mental floss #facebook pages


How Facebook Is Using Surveys to Improve Its News Feed and Give Users What They Want

Facebook is taking more of a "survey says" approach to what users will see in their news feeds. In a blog post published today, Facebook software engineers Cheng Zhang and Si Chen explained that the Menlo Park, Calif.-based company's traditional ways of determining what shows up in feeds—likes,... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2016-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook's latest News Feed overhaul puts stories you want to see at the top

Facebook knows everything about you, from who your friends and family are to what you like and where you’ve been. It even knows the posts you draft but never publish. Combine all that information with the power of the like button, which signals to Facebook that a post should be shared more... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2016-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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