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How does Facebook decide which posts you see? Let Yoda explain

Facebook's been under a lot of scrutiny lately to explain why some brands' posts haven't been reaching as many users as usual, so it brought in a big name to shed some light on the process: Yoda.

Facebook Product Manager Will Cathcart channeled the fabled Jedi Master to explain how the network's algorithm, called EdgeRank, works to keep irrelevant content off a users' feed. If Yoda continually tells Facebook that he doesn't want to see updates from the Death Star, the algorithm makes sure he won't.

"What would Yoda do if he sees this … Read more

Facebook iOS, Android apps now let you share stories with one tap

Facebook has tweaked its mobile apps and Web site with an eye toward sharing.

Released yesterday, FB's latest iOS and Android apps now sport a Share button at the bottom of any post that links to a Web page or other item. Clicking on that button lets you share that post with the entire Facebook public, just your friends, or only certain friend lists.

"You can now use the Share button on News Feed stories from your phone whether you're using the Facebook for Android app, the Facebook for iPhone and iPad app, or the Facebook mobile … Read more

Judge mulls over Facebook's offer in 'sponsored stories' suit

It looks like Judge Richard Seeborg may be turning a corner in the lawsuit over Facebook's "sponsored stories" feature. He said today that he would review the social network's second settlement offer and would issue a ruling "very shortly," according to Reuters.

The crux of the case focuses on Facebook's use of advertising in its sponsored stories. The original five plaintiffs, which aimed at representing more than 100 million members in a class-action suit, claimed the social network violated users' right to privacy by publicizing their "likes" in advertisements without asking … Read more

Facebook kicks off holidays with Gifts expansion

Facebook made a big commercial splash in New York City this evening, announcing several new partnerships for its gifting service in time for the holiday shopping season.

The social network wanted to create some buzz and used a press event at the FAO Schwarz in New York today to highlight the new retailers coming on board for Facebook Gifts.

"Facebook gifts is a combination of real moments with real gifts," Lee Linden, head of product for Gifts, told the room of reporters.

Linden told CNET that the new gifts will be available throughout the U.S. in the … Read more

Andreessen Horowitz holds on to Facebook shares in long-term gamble

Andreessen Horowitz, the famed venture-capital firm run by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, is not selling the Facebook shares it acquired through direct investment.

Reports surfaced yesterday saying that Andreessen Horowitz, one of the earliest and biggest investors in Facebook, was offloading some shares it directly acquired through investment in the social network following a mandatory lockup period. However, a Securities and Exchange Commission filing has revealed that only Marc Andreessen himself has personally offloaded some shares. According to TechCrunch, which was first to report on the news, a spokesperson from Andreessen's firm said that the sales will only … Read more

Facebook caters to businesses, others with separate news feed

As Facebook works to keep its users happy by minimizing the number of promotional posts that appear with friends' posts in the News Feed, businesses have asked for a new way to reach fans.

Enter a separate "Pages Feed," rolled out today.

Unlike the standard News Feed, which mixes posts from friends with some posts from promotionally oriented Facebook "Pages" that users have Liked -- and that Facebook's spam filter has deemed relevant -- the Pages Feed is unfiltered and features only the promotional posts. Users can click to it from a button on the … Read more

Kids get 100,000 Facebook 'Likes,' get dad to cough up cat

News flash: Facebook users like cats. They also like feel-good stories. And precocious children. Put those all together and you get the story of two clever kids and their social-media campaign for getting a cat.

Remi Urbano, a 7-year-old, is the marketing genius behind the campaign. He wanted a cat, but his father Dan refused to get him one. Little Remi kept asking, and eventually "No" turned into "Only if you can get 1,000 Facebook Likes."… Read more

Facebook gets more Twitter-like with mobile 'share' button

Facebook is becoming a little more Twitter-like with one of its newest features: A "share" button for mobile that's a lot like a retweet.

The social networking giant has started rolling out the button on its mobile site, a spokesperson said, and it plans to add the feature to iOS and Android.

The company didn't provide any other information about the share button or its reasoning behind the move. We'll update if we get any more details.

The mobile feature, like the Web browser version, allows users to repost a friend's photos and links. … Read more

Recruiters post 1.7 million jobs on new Facebook jobs board

Facebook today launched a job-board application, featuring 1.7 million listings from five different recruiting organizations.

The new application, a product of the Social Jobs Partnership that Facebook started last year with several public agencies, aggregates jobs that are already available through the separate organizations to give job seekers a central location to look for work.

This initial slew of jobs -- sorted by industry, location, and skills -- comes from BranchOut, DirectEmployers Association, Work4Labs, Jobvite, and Monster.com.

"Today's launch of the Social Jobs Application highlights what we've known all along -- that both recruiters and … Read more

Facebook stock jumps even as more insiders able to sell

About 800 million Facebook shares became tradeable today, but for once, the bulls have something to cheer about.

In other words, the stock is jumping today even though more insiders now have the opportunity to unload their holdings. Shares closed up 13 percent at $22.36, a welcome jump for investors who have seen a steep decline since the stock started trading at $38 in May.

Today's lockup expiration meant the largest set of Facebook shares available since May could hit the market. Many had expected Facebook's shares to take a hit, but instead, it appears most investors … Read more