Reporter
Incisive Media
Google has announced that its desktop and mobile search will now include data gathered from Android app activity. The feature will allow users who search for titles of mobile applications to see aggregated data taken from the app.
Google reported in its bi-annual transparency report that government requested takedowns are up from the first half of last year. From July to December 2012 Google received 2,285 government requests to remove content from its platforms.
Yahoo has launched an iPhone app using Summly's technology less than a month after buying the firm for $30 million. The Yahoo app allows users to search for news topics they are interested in and displays summarized versions of chosen articles.
Google posted a 31 percent increase in year-over-year revenue for the first quarter of 2013. The search giant reported revenues of $13.97 billion. As revenues grow, CEO Larry Page is focusing on future products and Google's growth potential.
Annual U.S. social ad revenue is expected to reach $11 billion by 2017, according to BIA/Kelsey. The jump would represent a growth rate of over 18 percent over the next five years. Video and mobile social ads will be the prime growth motivators.
Google now lets users opt to delete their data upon their death. The Inactivity Account Manager allows users to have their data deleted following long periods of inactivity. Users can also send their Google data to designated third-parties.
Google has presented a list of concessions in a bid to address the European Union's concerns and put an end to a two-year long antitrust probe into its search business. Google wants to avoid paying out a massive fine and facing more legal action.
Google has donated $3 million to three anti-trafficking advocacy groups. The project will bring together a variety of human trafficking hotlines to create a consolidated base of data to identify trafficking hotspots around the world.
Alma Whitten will leave the search giant after 10 years. Whitten ascended to the position of privacy director in the wake of the furore created by revelations that Google had been collecting private Wi-Fi data via its fleet of Street View cars.
Mark Zuckerberg has been voted America's most popular CEO. Google's Larry Page also ranked highly, ranking as the 11th most popular CEO this year, according to a new survey. His 95 percent approval rating stayed consistent over the last year.
Google has improved the search and sharing features for its Chrome browser running on Apple's iOS smartphone and tablet platform. Chrome's update includes features that allow users to share web pages via email, messages, and Facebook.
Advertisers report that they are taking an integrated approach to social media advertising. Still, a major problem for advertisers using paid social ads is a lack of proper metrics, leaving many advertisers unconvinced of social media ads.
Channel Intelligence handles ecommerce solutions aimed at boosting the sales of product and services by making them easier to find on the web. Channel Intelligence was a Google Shopping launch partner prior to the purchase agreement.
The suit alleges that Microsoft infringed on two search patents owned by I/P Engine. Vringo successfully sued Google and AOL for $30 million in damages based on technology that allows search engines to work concurrently with advertisement systems.
Governments from around the world made 1,858 requests for Twitter data during the second half of 2012. That is compared to the first half when world governments only made 849 requests. Twitter's statistics come from its biannual transparency report.
The search giant will rollout free WiFi in the Southwest Chelsea part of Manhattan. Free WiFi will be available outdoors and in public spaces of the area. The deal follows Google's decision to build an ultra fast broadband network in Kansas City.
Flurry reported that the final week of 2012 brought on a significant increase in overall app downloads. US consumers were found to be the biggest downloaders of apps last week. Flurry predicted app downloads to continue to grow through 2013.
A new study from Kantar Media has found that 77 percent of brands are using national TV advertising exclusively.
Google shifted $9.8 billion in revenue to Bermuda in order to avoid paying $2 billion in global taxes, Bloomberg reported. The search giant reportedly used common revenue funnelling techniques to avoid its tax obligations.
New study from IDG Research Services has found that 95 percent of consumers use at least one type of social media. Fifty-three percent of responders thought the best way to reach consumers was to answer their questions on platforms like Facebook.
