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'


Did Someone Say #BlackFriday? Facebook, Instagram Wrap Up Holiday Audiences for Ad Targeting

For any brands still looking to do some holiday shopping, Facebook is making a list of people whose attentions they might want to buy.Starting on Thanksgiving and running through New Year's Day, Facebook and its photo-sharing app Instagram will let brands target ads to people who publish posts... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ad targeting #holiday shopping #black friday #ad format


Facebook wants to make your breakup less awkward

Facebook wants to help ease the burn of a breakup.The social media giant introduced new tools Thursday on its mobile app to help users see less of their exes.Now when you change your relationship status to “single,” Facebook will ask if you want to “take a break” from seeing pictures and posts... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mobile app


Campaigners must be 'realistic' about future of libraries

Libraries and campaigners have to be "realistic" about what future libraries can offer as funding cuts mean the Libraries Taskforce was "having to make some trade-offs I'm not thrilled about," its c.e.o Kathy Settle said. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #future libraries #libraries taskforce #funding cuts #kathy settle


Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook, And "Fast Company": Six Cover Stories (So Far)

Eight years ago, we featured the 22-year-old creator of a site with 19 million users. 1.5 billion members later, the adventure continues.In early 2007, Fast Company senior writer Ellen McGirt got a rush assignment from the magazine's editor, Bob Safian. Both were newcomers to the publication,... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mark zuckerberg #fast company #cover stories #recently decamped #silicon valley


Facebook Brings Instant Articles to India With Five Publishers

Facebook is extending its Instant Articles initiative to Android smartphone users in India, about six months after its US debut, reports Mint. Prior to this, the initiative was limited to iOS users in US and Western Europe. Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ios users #western europe


Facebook's Virtual Reality-Style Ads Are Here With Big Brands on Board

If you were wondering what Facebook's $2 billion Oculus Rift might mean for advertisers, we may have just been given a sneak peek. Today, the Menlo Park, Calif.-based company debuted the first virtual reality-style video ads for AT&T, Nestle, Mondelez and Samsung, among others. In... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2015-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #360-degree videos #small step #oculus rift #company revealed


Target's Holiday Campaign Brings a Magical Story to Life Across TV, Digital and Its Stores

Target's taking kids and grown-ups alike on a "holiday odyssey," one that brings shopping and storytelling together in digitally fueled new ways. The Minneapolis-based retailer's 2015 campaign from 72andSunny is rooted in a digital children's book narrated by actor Neil Patrick Harris. The... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2015-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #wonderful world #mary poppins #early december #retail experience


Hong Kong Literary Festival Underscores Cross-Cultural Connections

The embattled Hong Kong International Literary Festival had a resurgence this year, underscoring cross-cultural connections between Asia and the West. The post Hong Kong Literary Festival Underscores Cross-Cultural Connections appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Facebook Launches Notify, a New Twitter-Like App for Following Publishers

Facebook is already dominating peoples’ phone time, and now it wants a crack at your lock screen, too. The social network rolled out a new app called “Notify” on Wednesday specifically to send you mobile notifications fr ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Facebook launches Notify, its news-centric notifications app

Facebook's Notify is here. Think Apple News + Twitter = Facebook Notify. The news-centric stand alone app lets users receive news alerts on their lock screens from a menu of topics and publishers. Facebook says this is supplemental to its News Feed because people want multiple ways to get... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #multiple ways #ios users


Facebook Mulls Ad Changes for Instant Articles After Publisher Pushback

Facebook is experimenting with new advertising approaches for its Instant Articles platform after publishers encountered challenges generating ad revenue because of restrictions imposed by the social network. Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


See the First 360-Degree Video Ads on Facebook

"360-degree marketing" has been an industry buzzword for years, but what about 360-degree advertising?Facebook is starting to test 360-degree video ads with a handful of brands including AT&T, Samsung and Nestle, all of which can be seen below. Facebook officially introduced the virtual... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #desktop site #android apps


Facebook Debuts a New Push-Minded App for Publishers Called Notify

Facebook wants to become a one-stop shop for breaking news while giving media brands more mobile channels to reach viewers. The social media giant today launched Notify, an app curating push notifications from dozens of publishers and other media sources all into one place: your iPhone's lock... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2015-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #menlo park #movie trailers #latest addition #flagship brand #mark zuckerberg


The President of the United States Now Has an Official Facebook Page

Early Monday afternoon, President Barack Obama debuted an official Facebook page for the Oval Office. Obama's first post entailed a message about climate change, with a video in which he gives a brief tour of the White House backyard and tells listeners that a fox and a hawk regularly roam the... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2015-11-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #oval office #climate change #twitter account #social accounts


PW Talks with Global Kids Connect Speaker Ginger Clark

Clark, a literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. and speaker at PW’s upcoming Global Kids Connect Summit, talked us about what U.S. children's titles seem to be working well abroad right now, and the biggest mistakes publishers make in their approach to their foreign rights business. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-11-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary agent #curtis brown


Snapchat getting 6 billion video views daily, but how does it compare to Facebook's 8 billion?

Days after Facebook announced that its users watched videos 8 billion times a day,  Snapchat told the Financial Times on Sunday that its smaller set of users opened videos 6 billion times a day. See the most-read stories this hour >> The statistics reveal fast growth: Since the spring,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-11-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook announced


Facebook's Traffic to Top Publishers Fell 32 Percent Since January

While Facebook makes headlines for cooking up new initiatives with publishers, the actual traffic it’s sending those publishers has fallen sharply.   Referral traffic (desktop + mobile) to the top 30 Facebook publishers (as defined by ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-11-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Vaizey praises library campaign groups in speech

In a speech given at the launch of the Society of Chief Librarians' (SCL) Universal Learning Offer, culture minister Ed Vaizey highlighted the "valuable" role libraries play and praised the commitment of the “remarkable” number of campaign groups fighting to keep them open. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #chief librarians


With shopping data, Skimlinks gives publishers a new way to take on Facebook

When it comes to competing for digital ad dollars, it's hard for publishers to beat the ad-targeting prowess of Facebook and Google. E-commerce company Skimlinks is trying to level the playing field by selling audience buying behavior data that it collects from its publisher clients. Among the... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook appeared #playing field #publisher clients


Facebook’s Instant Articles Could Mean Less Traffic For Websites

Facebook officially rolled out Instant Articles to all iPhone users last Tuesday, allowing media companies to publish content directly to the social network instead of driving users back to their own properties.   The launch raises questions abo ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-10-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #iphone users