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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One weird trick -- Facebook to clear newsfeeds of click-bait headlines

Click-bait articles are rife online. Countless websites ply a trade in leading headlines designed to lure readers in, giving as little away as possible as an encouragement to click through. A virtual prick-tease, if you will. Sometimes the click is worth it, but all too often the article --... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook’s Plan to Make Apps Work Like Webpages Gathers Momentum

Facebook says that hundreds of online companies have adopted its plan to let mobile apps operate more like the world wide web, seamlessly linking together in much the same way that pages do inside your web browser. According to Facebook’s Vijay Shankar, these companies have published over 3... Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2014-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Playboy Makes Over Website to Be More Facebook-Friendly

Playboy has a new website that the publisher hopes you might even share with your mom on Facebook.Next Monday, the 60-year-old men's magazine will "officially" revamp its 20-year-old website to put a heightened focus on serving up grown-up entertainment that's not overly "adult." The new... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publisher hopes #soft launch


Delta Faucet’s New Campaign Goes Heavy on Digital

The Delta Faucet Company has launched a new, cross-platform marketing campaign called HappiMess.  In addition to airing on network television and cable programming, and appearing in Southern Living, HGTV, and Real Simple magazines, HappiMess' campaign will have a heavy digital presence.... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #user-generated content


Tricking Facebook's Algorithm

A successful experiment to make one status-update widely seen—and the social publishing site still won in the end.  Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2014-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #successful experiment


Kickstarter Diary, Chapter 4: Promoting the Campaign

Now that the campaign has been launched, it's time for the next and longest phase of a Kickstarter campaign: using email, media contacts and social media to promote it. Also known as “30 days of obsessive compulsive disorder and stress.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kickstarter campaign


Cameron refuses prison campaigners' meeting

The prime minister David Cameron has refused to meet with campaigners and authors seeking to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Daily Dot goes long and slow with relaunch of The Kernel

Count The Daily Dot as the latest digital publisher getting into the "magazine" business. The post The Daily Dot goes long and slow with relaunch of The Kernel appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mobile ad success helps Facebook deliver stunning Q2 results

Facebook has smashed all estimates in its earnings and revenue report this week, largely thanks to its robust mobile ad business. The results slapped down any niggling doubts among critics about the social network's ability to transform itself from a simple communication website to a... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ad revenue #mobile devices


Writers unite in campaign against 'thuggish' Amazon

Nearly 900 authors across world back criticism of online retailer's business tactics in ebooks dispute with US publisher HachetteThey include some of the biggest literary names on the planet, among them Stephen King, Donna Tartt, Paul Auster, James Patterson and John Grisham; a Pulitzer prize... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stephen king #donna tartt #paul auster #james patterson #john grisham #jennifer egan #joshua ferris #siri hustvedt


When an ad is not an ad on Facebook

Publishers have been exploiting a Facebook loophole with their native ads, making them alluring ad buys in light of decreased Facebook reach for brands. The post When an ad is not an ad on Facebook appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Target Mobilizes Back-to-School Print Campaign With Image Recognition

Target wants to prove that traditional media like print and TV can drive e-commerce sales, highlighted in its new back-to-school marketing push. Target is launching a mobile app that works with the retailer’s fall print catalog to trigger sales for its Room Essentials collection, aimed at... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #architectural digest #real simple #mobile device #e-commerce site #drive sales


Kickstarter Diary Chapter 3: How to Use the Site to Run Your Campaign

Here's the author's step-by-step guide to getting your campaign set up on the Kickstarter website, quirks and all. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Secret widens its anonymous network to include your Facebook friends too

When Secret first launched earlier this year, the only subscribers who could see your anonymous missives on the app were folks who were somehow connected to your phone's address book -- they were either your friends, friends of friends or friends of... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook friends #launched earlier


Seeing More Politics in Your News Feed? Facebook Boosts Partisan Sites

Facebook has helped catapult sites like BuzzFeed and Upworthy into social stardom, boosting the visibility of media content on the News Feeds of millions of users and generating a deluge of traffic. But in this rising tide, some publishers have seen ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2014-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Thai magazine editor arrested over his Facebook comments

A Thai magazine editor has been arrested for posting comments critical of the military on his Facebook page, reports Human Rights Watch (HRW).Thanapol Eawsakul, the editor of Fah Diew Khan (Same Sky) magazine, was detained on Saturday (5 July) and is expected to remain police custody for another... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook comments #sky magazine


Recommended Reading: Colombia's high-tech World Cup training and testing Facebook

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. Colombia's High-Tech... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Hearst learned to play with emotions to drive Facebook traffic game

The publisher, which has seen its Facebook traffic grow more than 500 percent in the past year, shares the secrets to its success. The post How Hearst learned to play with emotions to drive Facebook traffic game appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook buys video ad platform LiveRail

Facebook Inc. bought video advertising company LiveRail to help it target and distribute video ads, AdWeek reported. TechCrunch pegged the price tag between $400 million and $500 million, although the companies haven’t disclosed the terms. LiveRail, based in San Francisco, has created a... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2014-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook to Buy LiveRail, the Third-Biggest Video Ad Seller

Facebook's video ad business just got a lot bigger.Months after rolling out the first video-specific ad product on the social network, Facebook has agreed to acquire LiveRail, one of the biggest video ad sellers. A Facebook spokesman declined to comment on the deal's price.LiveRail automates the... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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