WRAL Tech Wire

Latest news from Microsoft, Google, Blackboard, Zynga, MySpace

Microsoft to partner with China's leading search engine; Google doesn't need Twitter anymore; Blackboard sells for $1.64 billion; Zynga to go public; MySpace gets new owners

News Corp. dumps MySpace for $35M - fraction of purchase price

News Corp. bought MySpace for $580 million in 2005, but users, advertisers and musicians who used to rely on it for promotion have fled the site for other hotter social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

MySpace to lay off nearly half its staff worldwide

The cuts, part of a two-stage layoff plan, better position the site for a possible sale or spin-off by parent News Corp.

MySpace extends search, ad contract with Google

MySpace plays copy cat – and makes itself less relevant

Social media analysis: Instead of developing features that the other two sites do not already have, it seems MySpace did a straight rip in an effort to stop losing users to the other platforms.

Hot off wire: MySpace remodels itself; Yahoo overhauls e-mail; Internet rivals right Google travel buy

MySpace acknowledges sharing ad data that can identify user pages

The company says it does not consider the data to be information that could identify a person, partly because MySpace doesn't require members to use their real names.

MySpace allows users to sync posts to Facebook

MySpace users will also be able to share music, videos, game applications, links and photos across both social networking sites.

Hot Off Wire: MySpace co-president resigns; AOL sells social media site Bebo; EA signs videogame streaming deal

Who develops social networking conscience? Youth, not elders

New Pew study finds that young people are most likely to limit personal information online - and the least likely to trust free online services ranging from Facebook to LinkedIn and MySpace. UNC-CH doctoral candidate says it's all about brand.

Guarding your reputation

Facebook moves to fix privacy loophole after WSJ review

Facebook, MySpace and several other social-networking sites have been sending data to advertising companies that could be used to find consumers' names and other personal details, despite promises they don't share such information without consent, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Hot off the wire: MySpace simplifies privacy controls; LinkedIn adds new board member; FTC investigating ads to underage drinking on social networks

MySpace