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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'Heavy hitting' campaign for new Boyd novel

Bloomsbury has promised a “high profile and heavy hitting” marketing campaign for the global release of William Boyd’s new novel Sweet Caress next week (27th August). The publisher said marketing plans include a “major” National Rail advertising campaign, third party partnerships, national... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #william boyd #high profile #global release #sweet caress


Kik raises $50 million from China's Tencent to battle Facebook, hire in L.A.

Kik, a chat app that claims 40% of U.S. teenagers as users, announced a $50-million investment Tuesday from Chinese tech company Tencent that values the start-up at $1 billion. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #$1 billion


Comcast Is Starting A Video Platform That Will Challenge Facebook And YouTube

The new service, called Watchable, will reportedly bring content from Vox, BuzzFeed, and other publishers to Xfinity boxes.Comcast is currently working on a new digital video platform called "Watchable," with plans to launch later this year with some major partners. According to Business... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #video platform #business insider #include advertising


ATP fines Nick Kyrgios for Stan Wawrinka insult despite Facebook apology

A Facebook apology on Thursday did not prevent Nick Kyrgios from being fined by the ATP for an "insulting remark" he made a day before during a Rogers Cup match against Stan Wawrinka. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Facebook is the best app for news': Publishers are still way behind in mobile

Publishers are not doing enough to adapt to the mobile era. The biggest mistake, Breaking News gm Cory Bergman says, is not investing enough in mobile talent -- and not allowing for the inevitable mistakes in trying to figure out what works. Instead, there's a propensity for publishers to... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post facebook #mobile appeared #biggest mistake #distribution channel #existing content


Facebook reportedly testing Twitter-like breaking news app

App that would allow publishers to highlight and push news events to Facebook users is said to be in alpha-stage testingFacebook could be preparing to take on Twitter at its own game, with a standalone news application for mobile phones.The product, which is reportedly in “alpha” stage testing... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook users #mobile phones #business initiative


Facebook offers up its autoplay video ads to other apps

If you're already annoyed with the autoplay video ads in your Facebook timeline, you might want to brace yourself. The social network is opening up that advertising tech to outside apps, or more specifically, to publishers who leverage Menlo Park's... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook offers


Facebook Is Working on a Twitter-Like App That Lets Publishers Send Mobile Breaking News Alerts to the Masses

Facebook is working on a stand-alone mobile news application that seems to be part of its Facebook for Business initiative.   This product, which sounds similar to Twitter, seems to be different from Facebook for Work, an initiative that wa ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #business initiative


Facebook, Email Most Effective for Crowdfunding Books on Inkshares

Crowdfunding publishing platform Inkshares reveals data about where its readers come from, with Facebook and email marketing leading the way. The post Facebook, Email Most Effective for Crowdfunding Books on Inkshares appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post facebook


Binders Full of Women Writers: can a secret Facebook group claim to be inclusive?

Can an online ‘safe space’ be both selective and preoccupied with inclusivity? That’s a question that Binders Full of Women Writers is trying to sort out after a member published an article about the Facebook groupThe first rule of Binders Full of Women Writers is: you do not talk about Binders... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public media #fight club


Stroud launches ‘Freedom to Think’ campaign

Author Jonathan Stroud is calling for parents and carers to give children time to use their imaginations through his new ‘Freedom to Think’ campaign. Stroud wants parents and carers to make sure children have at least one period each week for ‘unstructured thinking time’ where they can choose... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, a personal revelation

Like many Facebook users, Mark Zuckerberg turned to the social network to announce that he and his wife were expecting a baby. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook users #mark zuckerberg


How Al Jazeera’s AJ+ Became One of the Biggest Video Publishers on Facebook

Al Jazeera isn’t exactly the media brand that comes to mind as a top choice for today’s news junkies. And yet, a year after its launch, Al Jazeera’s AJ+ offshoot has emerged as a huge success story, thanks largely to Fac ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #al jazeera #media brand #news junkies


How Unilad became a viral Facebook publisher for British bros through video

With a mix both funny and serious videos and a Facebook-first approach, Unilad has amassed 6.7 million fans on the social network. Its strategy is reminiscent of competitors like Lad Bible, with its own bro-focus and reliance on fans to create and promote video -- but Unilad has also been... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #video appeared #lad bible #branded content #warner bros


CNN Takes a Page From Facebook With Autoplay

As ad dollars flow to online video, the video view has been asserting itself as the new coin of the realm for publishers.   And so with CNN Digital’s goal of being nothing less than the worldwide leader in video, it’s pushing ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online video


CNN takes a page from Facebook with autoplay video

With all the revenue flowing to digital video, it’s easy to see why CNN is prioritizing video views over pageviews. CNN.com’s video views nearly doubled over the past year, through a mix of short- and long-form clips. It’s also not shy about taking a page from Facebook’s autoplay feature. But... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #autoplay video #digital video #video views #autoplay feature #consumer experience


Internal training documents reveal how Facebook tackles diversity, bias, and discrimination

Workforce diversity is something that has been brought into sharp focus in recent months as companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook reveal the make-up of their staff. White, middleclass, male employees dominate the world of technology, and this is certainly the case at Facebook -- even... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2015-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #workforce diversity #recent months #facebook --


Facebook Publishes Its Managing Bias Course For All

The social network is positioning itself as a leader in diversity efforts, even though it still has a lot to learn. The post Facebook Publishes Its Managing Bias Course For All appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook publishes


A Curator Connecting Frankfurt to the World

Frankfurt Book Fair director Juergen Boos spends much of the year traveling to ensure that the best of global publishing is represented at the Fair in October. The post A Curator Connecting Frankfurt to the World appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #world appeared #global publishing


Police: Woman lured by man on Facebook lived in a closet, held as sex slave

A woman was held captive in a closet and sexually abused by a Richmond, Calif., man she met on Facebook a year ago, police said. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #held captive