News

• Facebook privacy head suggests company will serve ads on other sites

  Facebook's head of privacy policy, Erin Egan, hinted in a Web chat on Monday that Facebook would begin serving targeted ads to users on third-party websites.

• Privy offers social daily deal alternative

  Pizza chain owner Melissa Ferriman wanted to boost business using an online social deal promotion. She tried services like Groupon, but eventually chose Boston-based Privy because it connected her restaurant with customers who weren't just looking for the next promotion.

• Yahoo makes a play for small business ad dollars, dives into proxy fight

  Yahoo launched a free marketing dashboard on Wednesday to boost its advertising appeal for small and midsized businesses by simplifying digital marketing for them.

• Google introduces new TV like metrics for measuring ads

  Google is introducing tools such as one that measures the percentage of an online advertisement that is viewed and for what duration, to help advertisers measure the effectiveness of their campaigns beyond impressions and clicks.

• Internet ad revenue hit $31.7 billion in 2011, topping previous record

  Internet advertising revenue soared to a record high of US$31.7 billion in 2011, up 22 percent from 2010, according to a report released Wednesday by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

• Larry Page letter highlights Google's conflicts

  Google CEO Larry Page published a long public letter on Thursday that gives an update on the company's strategy and highlights some of the conflicts he faces after a year at the head of the company.

• Critics say FTC, Obama privacy plans would lead to major regulation

  Recent online privacy proposals by the U.S. White House and Federal Trade Commission could lead to new regulations that stifle innovation on the Internet, some lawmakers and other critics said Thursday.

• Yahoo says it will implement do-not-track worldwide later this year

  Yahoo websites worldwide will comply with visitors' "do not track" preferences starting later this year, Yahoo announced Wednesday.

• Did Google abuse its dominant position? EU decision expected within days

  A ruling from the European Commission on allegations that Google abused its dominant market position is expected within days.

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  FTC chairman: Do-not-track law may not be needed

  A do-not-track law focused on protecting Web users' privacy may not be necessary, with private groups working to implement recommendations from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the agency's chairman said Monday.

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  Adobe steps up digital marketing push with new and upgraded products

  Adobe Systems has introduced tools for advertising across social networking sites and different devices, and also analytics to keep track of it all, the company said on Wednesday.

• Google says it will cooperate with any Safari privacy investigations

  Google will cooperate with any investigations into allegations that it bypassed privacy settings in Apple's Safari browser, the company said, after a news report that both U.S. and E.U. officials are investigating the company.

• Few tech issues will move in Congress for the rest of the year

  As the U.S. Congress begins to gear up for November's elections, several technology-related issues remain unresolved. Lawmakers have pushed in recent months for new cybersecurity legislation, online copyright enforcement provisions, new online privacy protections and an Internet sales tax, but progress will get tougher in the coming months.

• Facebook acquires staff behind webcam eye-tracking startup GazeHawk

  Facebook is acquiring the team at webcam eye-tracking startup GazeHawk, but not its product and technology, GazeHawk said on Thursday.

• Google ads chief: Personalization is the company's next big thing

  Google's top advertising executive, Susan Wojcicki, said on Wednesday that Google's biggest innovations over the next several years will be in personalized search results and ads.