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'


News UK CMO: Facebook Has a 'Duty of Care' to Publishers

News UK’s chief marketing officer Chris Duncan wasn’t previously a fan of publishing directly to platforms like Facebook. In previous interviews with media, he called Facebook’s launch of Instant Articles, and the g ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news ukrsquo #publishing directly


Facebook's quick-loading Instant Articles come to Android

Facebook’s scheme for speedy news stories has finally come to Android. With select publishers you’ll now see a lightning bolt icon in the top corner, which denotes that article is stored on Facebook’s servers and will load rapidly.This feature, as is often the case, first debuted on the... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2015-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #select publishers #global reach #international markets #developing world


Facebook Instant Articles Launches on Android

We’re excited to announce that everyone who uses the Facebook for Android app can now read thousands of Instant Articles every day in News Feed from publishers worldwide. Combined with our recent launch of Instant Articles to everyone on Fa ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #android app #read thousands #publishers worldwide #recent launch


How UK Publishers are Using Facebook Instant Articles

Another 13 U.K. publishers are signed up to start using Facebook’s Instant Articles, including The Daily Telegraph, The Mirror, The Daily Mail and The Economist, Sky News, sports site 90min.com and The Sun.   The BBC and ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-12-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #uk publishers #sky news


Connect gauges children’s market

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair and Publishers Weekly joint-sponsored their first children’s conference, Global Kids Connect, followed by a half-day focus on the Chinese children’s market. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bologna children #chinese children #book fair


Facebook Is Updating Instant Articles to Help Publishers Make More Money

Facebook is updating its policies for Instant Articles, per a rep with the company, which could mean up to 40 percent more ads for publishers on the platform. Starting today, publishers utilizing Instant Articles will be able to place an ad every 350 words instead of every 500 words, according... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2015-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #starting today #smaller percentage #editorial content #mobile web #android apps #android users #daily basis


Facebook's Zuckerberg ordered to testify over Oculus purchase

Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been ordered to depose in an intellectual property dispute between Oculus and ZeniMax Media, as he has "unique knowledge" of his decision to buy and his valuation of the wearable virtual reality technology company. ZeniMax sued Oculus in May 2014 for exploiting... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2015-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #zenimax media #non-disclosure agreement #crude prototype #district court #northern district #dallas division


Facebook Bends to Publishers, Tweaks Instant Articles Advertising

Facebook is changing the advertising policies for its Instant Articles platform, after publishers said restrictions made it too hard for them to generate revenue from content they posted to the social network’s new feature. & ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #advertising policies #generate revenue


Global Kids Connect Conference and China Deep Dive Resources

Resources and coverage from the Global Kids Connect conference, a convergence of innovative minds focused on children’s book publishing and the changing children’s book business in China. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publishing #book business


Belgian ban on Facebook cookies should apply to all of Europe, privacy watchdogs say

European data protection authorities want Facebook to stop using cookies to track people who don't have a Facebook account.As part of a case brought by the Belgian Privacy Commission, a Brussels court ordered Facebook in an interim ruling not to track people in Belgium using its "datr" cookie... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2015-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #privacy watchdogs #case brought #privacy policy


Recommended Reading: Don't try to shop on Facebook or Twitter

Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read.I Tried Holiday Shopping on Fa... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #recommended reading #long-form writing #holiday shopping


The creators of 'The Martian' and 'XKCD' will chat live on Facebook today

It's been a big year for Andy Weir, author of acclaimed sci-fi novel The Martian. His bestselling book -- originally published serially for free on his personal website -- was turned into a similarly excellent movie starring Matt Damon and Jessica Ch... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook today #big year #andy weir


Global Kids Connect: A Star-Studded Party

Capping the Global Kids Connect conference was a party for PW's just-published Children's Starred Reviews Issue; many local authors and illustrators whose books were featured in that issue were in attendance. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #local authors


Global Kids Connect Conference Debuts in New York

The one-day conference offered an expert lineup of publishers, editors, and agents, who offered professional perspectives on everything from content creation and licensing to doing business in China. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #content creation


Is Facebook Driving Less Traffic to Publishers’ Sites?

Facebook might be sending less traffic to publishers’ websites now than it did in January, or more traffic, or the same amount of traffic. It depends on who you ask.   In recent years publishers have increasingly relied on Faceboo ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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MediaGuardian 100: why 1 billion users put Facebook back on top

The 15th edition of the media power list finds change in the air, with digital challengers elbowing aside older moguls – but a long way to go on diversity• Women on the rise, but much still to do on diversity• Your interactive guide to the MediaGuardian 100 Back in 2001, when this list was first... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #social networks #bill gates #richest man #mark zuckerberg


How Publishers are Using Facebook Instant Articles

?As soon as Jeff Bezos heard about Facebook Instant Articles, he wanted to participate.   “We saw [Bezos] in Sun Valley,” Dan Rose, the VP of partnerships at Facebook, said in a recent panel at the Paley Int ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #recent panel


Lost Neruda Poems Launched with Crowdfunded Publishing Campaign

Two works by Pablo Neruda will debut in English after nonprofit poetry press Copper Canyon raised over $50,000 on Kickstarter to fund the project. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pablo neruda


Google’s Answer to Facebook Instant Articles — The AMP Project — is Coming Early Next Year

Google introduced its Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) program to allow publishers and advertisers to create good-looking mobile content that loads very quickly.   The company launched the program in early October with a select set of pa ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mobile content #company launched #early october


Waterstones’ Buy Books for Syria campaign surpasses half-way mark

Waterstones has hit the half-way point in its Buy Books for Syria campaign, having raised £500,000 through book sales to help those affected by the conflict in the Middle East. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #buy books #book sales #middle east