As users worry about digital spying. some have turned to using client-side encrypted virtual private networks that tend to obfuscate some internet activity. But media firms are warning VPN "pirates" to turn off the service or lose access to popular streaming video services.

The company released an internal study Thursday that found networks and studios that live-tweet during their popular programming — that is, post and respond to user tweets while the show is on the air — can dramatically boost followers and Twitter mentions.

Maker Studios announced the launch of its new Just For Laughs (JFL) YouTube channel that will monetize the iconic brand’s video archives. It will feature exclusive clips from comedians such as Bill Burr, Tracy Morgan, Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K., Mitch Hedberg, Bill Hicks and Jon Stewart. The Just For Laughs channel joins JFL’s other Maker-managed YouTube portalGags, which has scored over 4 million subscribers and 1.5 billion total video views. 

Ariana Huffington says her site is going to be looking into doing documentaries, both long and short, and is aiming at making Huffington Post half video.

"With edibles, start low and go slow" is a slogan in a Colorado public service announcement encouraging legal pot consumers to watch how quickly they eat stuff with marijuana in it. It includes online video ads. 

Regardless of what its critics and consumers think, native advertising is now firmly entrenched in the highest echelons of news media. That’s according to Joshua Benton, director of the Nieman Journalism Lab. “Like it or not, native advertising is here to stay -- no longer reserved for digital natives (Gawker, BuzzFeed, Quartz) and a few traditional outlets with an edgier digital presence (Forbes, The Atlantic),” he writes. “It’s hard to nd a major news company that isn’t looking to native as an important part of their business strategy in 2014.” 

Ahead of the holiday season, JibJab Bros. Studios has acquired “Hello Santa” creator Make Believe Studios. Parents pay “Hello Santa” -- between $15 and $25 depending on demand -- to connect their kids directly with St. Nick via video chat. According to JibJab CEO and co-founder Gregg Spiridellis, “building a distributed network of Santas to deliver one-on-one performances to families globally fits perfectly with our mission.” Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, Variety reports. 

Felix Kjellberg, who operates PewDiePie, YouTube’s most popular channel with 30 million subs, has agreed to start streaming episodes of his series “BroKen,” exclusively on MLG.tv, starting today.

Netlfix is launching today in France and signed its first IPTV deal with Bouygues Telecom, a major operator. Netflix will now roll out on Bouygues’ Bbox Sensation box in November. It will later will be available to Android TV Box users.

Minecraft, which has notched about 50 million copies sold, will be purchased by Microsoft for $2.5 billion, the company said in a statement. The move marks the tech giant's most ambitious video game purchase and the largest acquisition for Satya Nadella, its new chief executive.