Social Networks

Facebook has introduced a number of changes to its privacy controls, positioning them as easier for users to manage. For example, a new icon on the toolbar will allow users to ask three questions: Who can see my stuff? Who can contact me? and How do I stop someone from bothering me? For further info...

'Tis the season of giving and on Tuesday Facebook made it easier to give, as it added collections of wines to its Facebook Gifts catalog and made the program available for everyone in the United States. For some Facebook members, the season of giving started early, with the social network giant's Se...

Instagram has changed the way photographs on its site display in tweets, the latest salvo in its ongoing feud with Twitter. Instagram photos viewed on Twitter appear cropped or otherwise changed because Instagram has disabled its integration with Twitter Cards, Twitter said. Trouble between the tw...

Facebook on Tuesday introduced a new messaging app for Android smartphones that can be used by members and non-Facebookers alike, a move aimed at building an alternative to SMS text messaging. Initially, the distribution of the Messenger app will be limited to Australia, India, Indonesia, South Afri...

New smartphone regulations in China have caused concern among technology companies. The regulations, which would add a new layer of licensing and testing for smartphones, reportedly were filed to a WTO database of technical barriers to trade. They were submitted by China's Ministry of Industry and I...

When the first banner ads came out in the 1990s, they attracted lots of attention -- and lots of click-throughs. Since then, though, their effectiveness has plummeted, forcing businesses to think creatively about the future of online advertising. This future is likely to include a mix of social medi...

The relationship between Facebook and Zynga got even more complicated this week as the pair agreed to new partnership terms that free both from constraints under the prior deal. Zynga's stock took a hit because the new deal allows Facebook to develop its own games. The success of each company has lo...

Social media advertising revenues will double by 2016, and native ads -- such as sponsored stories on Facebook and promoted tweets on Twitter -- will be its fastest-growing segment, according to a forecast from BIA/Kelsey. The channel will grow from $4.6 billion in 2012 to $9.2 billion in 2016, pred...

Facebook reoprtedly is finalizing a new tool for marketers that can help them determine how effective their promotions are and ultimately give them an incentive to stick around as advertisers. The tool lets online retailers follow purchases made by Facebook users who have viewed their ads, although ...

In a year when precious little seems to have gone right for Facebook, Wednesday was the day an employee lockup on selling some 800 million shares expired. The stock was expected to drop, perhaps dramatically, as a result -- but it didn't. For the most part, Facebook shares hung tough -- increasing b...