Facebook Confesses to Anti-Google Smear Campaign

[dgstorm]

Today we bring you another piece of news that isn't directly Android related, but it is Google related, and you should hear about it. Facebook recently admitted to hiring a PR firm to specifically write articles with an agenda to smear Google by claiming that Google was violating users' privacy. Here's a quote from The Daily Beast article explaining how it came to light:

For the past few days, a mystery has been unfolding in Silicon Valley. Somebody, it seems, hired Burson-Marsteller, a top public-relations firm, to pitch anti-Google stories to newspapers, urging them to investigate claims that Google was invading people’s privacy. Burson even offered to help an influential blogger write a Google-bashing op-ed, which it promised it could place in outlets like The Washington Post, Politico, and The Huffington Post.

And, here is a quote that details how Facebook was implicated and why:

The plot backfired when the blogger turned down Burson’s offer and posted the emails that Burson had sent him. It got worse when USA Today broke a story accusing Burson of spreading a “whisper campaign” about Google “on behalf of an unnamed client.”

But who was the mysterious unnamed client? While fingers pointed at Apple and Microsoft, The Daily Beast discovered that it's a company nobody suspected—Facebook.

Confronted with evidence, a Facebook spokesman last night confirmed that Facebook hired Burson, citing two reasons: First, because it believes Google is doing some things in social networking that raise privacy concerns; second, and perhaps more important, because Facebook resents Google’s attempts to use Facebook data in its own social-networking service.

This is quite a shock to say the least. We all know that big corporations war with one another, but this seems like something out of a bad "Disney" movie. Facebook is acting like a spoiled child that can't have its way. It'll be interesting to see how the fallout shakes down from the backlash of this news.

Source: Engadget and The Daily Beast

[danDroid]

One more reason google should build something to compete with Facebook/Myspace..

[SLAG IT!]

Awe the two younger siblings fighting again?

[Steady Hawkin]

When your @ the top, people are always going to hate on you

[Droid-Xer]

Funny story. Seems like Facebook thinks they're untouchable.

[technopeasant]

I saw a cartoon recently where an old guy was sitting in a chair and saying on the phone, "I'm just waiting for Facebook to go anyway..." and I thought, Hey that's me.

Sent from my DROIDX using Android.net

[Quicksilver7714]

News Flash " Facebook Fails to Stab Google in the Back, Shoots Self in Foot"

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[Mujibar]

LOL. Nice one, Quick.

Tapatalk'd