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Isn’t this interesting? Right in the middle of all the hubbub around Facebook and Google’s alleged lack of concern for the privacy of their users, the former Chief Privacy Officer of Facebook is running for the office of California Attorney General. Hmmmm. Chris Kelly was with Facebook from 2005 until August of last year when he took a leave of absence for his run for office. He officially left the company in March to take a swing at public service. Of course, he probably made some serious scratch from his time at Facebook so making this break may be a lot easier for him than for most.
Google Ventures’ One Year “Check in”
posted on May 4, 2010
We all know that Google is on a buying / investing spree of sorts. Google Ventures was announced last year and Andy Beal took a look at the fine print for us. Now a year later, the Google Ventures team is moving right along with plans to invest $100 million this year.
Yesterday Google invited reports to the Internet’s equivalent of a high holy place, the Googleplex, for more information. Venturebeat tells us:
Reporters asked company chief executive Eric Schmidt and Google Ventures partners about the kinds of startups the firm is interested in, but they refused to be pinned down to a specific industry, trend, or stage of investment. It’s better to lead the firm into new areas than to jump on a bandwagon like mobile applications, Schmidt said. If anything, Google is more interested in investing in smart people.
Twitter Hopes To Make It Easier to Post That Tweet
posted on May 4, 2010
Twitter is rich, fertile ground for everything from the mundane and often stupid to the insightful and often helpful. The Twitter train makes all stops in between on that continuum of relevance and we are stuck with trying to determine just where someone else’s 140 character bit of wisdom fits. Oftentimes that can come in the form of using that tweet in a post or as a quote in some other content format.
Until today, if we wanted to put that tweet in our articles or posts we have needed to do it the old-fashioned way which is to copy and paste the image of the tweet. Twitter has taken the step to now make that easier to do. Twitter’s media page points to a ReadWriteWeb article that uses tweets to make its points about HP’s purchase of Palm for a prime example of the power of tweets as quotes.
by Comcast: Actually, Google Should Regulate the Internet
posted on May 3, 2010
The battle royale over federal authority for Net Neutrality all started when Comcast shut down certain user transfers on its service. The FCC claimed authority to enforce Net Neutrality against the company (although last month Comcast prevailed in its argument that the FCC doesn’t have the authority to regulate broadband).
However, now it seems Comcast is changing its tune. As Ars Technica reported last week, Comcast filed comments on the FCC’s proposed Open Internet rules. And now they’re actually in favor of the FCC regulating Internet access—as long as they’re not the ones being regulated. Nope, that “honor” should go to Google (and Akamai Technology), of course.
Explains AT:
FTC Homing in on GoogleMob?
posted on May 3, 2010
Since Google announced its acquisition of AdMob six months ago, the companies have face opposition. First consumer groups eyed the deal—then the FTC started taking statements from other companies in the industry. Now, it looks like the FTC is gearing up for even more scrutiny.
Of course, it may not have a whole lot to do with the US federal government’s deep-rooted concern for the mobile advertising industry. Reports AllThingsD:
“The federal government is looking for a way to discipline Google in some way, because of larger concerns about its search power on the Web,” said one source. “And this is where it looks like it will try to show that concern.”
YouTube Expanding Movie Rental Program
posted on May 3, 2010
YouTube first started testing a rental program with four Sundance films in January. The ten-day experiment netted an estimated $10,000. In March, YouTube apparently expanded the rental option to all its users. As YouTube looks to further expand its rental program, they could also use some work on publicity for the titles they’re already offering.
MediaPost reports on YouTube’s plans for future rentals:
YouTube engineers are working on a self-service method that will give moviemakers the ability to upload and provide their streaming content for rent, Hunter Walk, who heads product management at YouTube, told MediaPost.
The option aims to keep Google’s video site on a path to continually simplify the site and its features. Walk says engineers also have been working on a process that simplifies the ability for people to upload movies to the site that have been created on a mobile phone.
Google Buys Bump Top and Bumps Up Holdings
posted on May 3, 2010
Google seems to be like a business “shopaholic” these days. Unlike those who shop to feed an addiction though Google shops with intent. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that have enough money to buy most anything at anytime.
The latest appetizer sized company that has been swallowed whole by the Google is Bump Top. Bump Top was part of Microsfot’s BizSpark program which provided free software to start ups. I guess it didn’t have any small print about not being acquired by a mortal enemy. Of note, both Agnilux and DocVerse who are recent Google acquisitions were part of the program as well. I wonder if Mr. Schmidt sends thank you notes to Mr. Gates in those circumstances?
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