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'


Blackwell and Waterstone’s reveal charity campaigns

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Fri, 11/11/2011 - 07:33 Blackwell and Waterstone's have unveiled two charity campaigns in the run-up to Christmas. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Xmas starts now as campaigns begin

Written By: Lisa Campbell, Graeme Neill and Philip Stone Publication Date: Fri, 04/11/2011 - 10:27 W H Smith has fired the starting pistol for festive promotions, with Waterstone’s, Amazon.co.uk, Blackwell, John Smith and Foyles following hot on their heels as 1st November saw the switch-on of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #john smith #lisa campbell #graeme neill #starting pistol #1st november


Library campaigners: CIPFA stats 'will get worse'

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 03/11/2011 - 09:53 Library campaigners have called for vision and leadership for the public library service following publication of the latest annual library statistics from The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #library campaigners #chartered institute #public finance #accountancy cipfa


Amazon.co.uk starts Christmas campaign

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 31/10/2011 - 12:55 Amazon has begun its UK festive promotion today (31st October), opening a Christmas store and revealing Steve Jobs’ biography is one of customers’ most wished-for items. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Library campaigners pledge unity as Pullman slams council 'bullshit'

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 24/10/2011 - 08:30 Library campaigners from across the country vowed to work together to put pressure on government, at a pioneering day conference held in London on Saturday (22nd October). Meanwhile, speaking at the event, author Philip... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #political bullshit #country vowed #put pressure #library closures


Camden campaigners to try for library judicial review

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 17/10/2011 - 10:14 Camden library campaigners have become the latest group to apply for judicial review over library closures. The Camden Public Library User Group has instructed solicitors Bindmans to lodge an application for judicial review,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #latest group #judicial review #library closures #law firm


Brent campaigners vow to fight on

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 13/10/2011 - 12:50 Brent library campaigners have vowed to fight on despite losing their judicial review claim against the closure of six libraries in the High Court this morning (13th October). Campaigner Samantha Warrington said Mr Justice... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #high court #brent council


Hive consumer campaign to launch with competition

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Fri, 07/10/2011 - 08:20 Gardners will launch its consumer marketing campaign for Hive next Wednesday (October 12th) with an online competition with crime fiction author Mark Billingham. The campaign is called "Have the Last Word", with Billingham... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online competition


Bloomsbury launches Connect ebook service

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Mon, 03/10/2011 - 15:15 Bloomsbury is to launch an ebook distribution facility Bloomsbury Connect, which will offer ebook conversion and distribution into the four English-language markets. The new initiative will provide competition to Faber Factory,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #english-language markets #faber factory


How Publishers Are Reacting to Facebook’s New Features

Last week, Facebook rolled out several new features during its fourth annual F8 Developer Conference that could change the way the magazine industry interacts with the social media platform. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook rolled


Campaigners question IOW council's 'community libraries'

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 26/09/2011 - 15:12 The Isle of Wight council has said five libraries originally scheduled for closure last June will become "community libraries" and will not be closed. But campaigners have branded plans to hand the libraries over to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #community libraries


Facebook completely redesigns layout with 'Timeline'

If the population of Facebook users was outraged at the site's new layout unveiled yesterday, they're going to completely lose it over Timeline, the new Facebook experience that turns a user's profile into a literal life history timeline. In short, Facebook combined its social feed with the... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2011-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #social feed #facebook information #personal story


Somerset library campaigners hit fundraising goal

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 21/09/2011 - 12:30 Campaigners against library closures in Somerset have reached its initial target in fundraising for the forthcoming legal review. Earlier this year, 11 closures in the region were announced with six to shut in October and five... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #library closures #initial target #judicial review #legal battle


Pullman to speak at Library Campaign conference

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 20/09/2011 - 15:38 Author Philip Pullman will speak at an October day conference for library user groups, hosted by The Library Campaign in association with Voices for the Library. The organisers said the day would be "a chance for users to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #library campaign


Book tells of Evening Standard's Dispossessed campaign

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 05/09/2011 - 08:00 The London Evening Standard will launch Calling London, a book about its recent Dispossessed campaign, on 7th September. The book, by chief features writer David Cohen, will tell how a conversation between Cohen and Evening... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book tells #evening standard #7th september


WI to support libraries campaign

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 30/08/2011 - 08:37 The Women's Institute will mark the 96th anniversary of its first meeting on 16th September with an action to support its Love Your Libraries campaign. The WI's membership are being asked to each borrow a book from their... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #16th september #libraries campaign #local library


Campaigners critical over Government library blueprint

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 08/08/2011 - 09:57 Libraries in the hands of community groups, private sector funding and self-service borrowing points in shops and village halls are the way forward for the public library service, according to the report from the Future... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #future libraries #community groups #village halls #archives council


SoA takes short story campaign to BBC chief

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 04/08/2011 - 09:20 The Society of Authors, the Writers' Guild of Great Britain and actors' union Equity have jointly sent letters to both BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten and director general Mark Thompson, asking them to stop the BBC Radio 4... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #great britain #short story


Why Did Facebook Buy Push Pop Press?

The purchase sets off speculation about publishing ambitions at Facebook, and puts renewed focus on its highly-anticipated iPad app. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Facebook buys innovative ebook publisher Push Pop Press

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 09:14 Facebook has bought the innovative ebook publisher Push Pop Press but will not use the company to publish ebooks. The giant social networking website will instead use PPP's platform and technology to give "people even richer... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publish ebooks