In the wake of controversial changes to its privacy policy, Google is trying to set the record straight with Congress.  “Google announced plans to rewrite its privacy policy last week,” CNet reminds us. “The revision will give the company explicit rights to ‘combine personal information’ across the many products and services it currently offers.” “Of course, this raised concern, confusion has led to stories circulating the Web about the inherent danger of the revised TOS,” Engadget reports. Unfortunately, “most of the wild-eyed fear mongering was done by those who either had not read or had not understood what the …

Years in the making, Web watchers are bracing for what will likely be the biggest tech IPO since Google.   Yes, Facebook is close to filing documents for a long expected public offering that is on track take place in late May, reports AllThingsD. As such, “there will be no lack of media hype, elaborate obfuscation by rivals and a plethora of inaccurate hoo-ha that is about to be unleashed upon the world,” it writes. “The company is discussing a valuation of $75 billion to $100 billion,” according to Bloomberg Businessweek, citing two sources. “The tech giant is aiming …

Following the lead of Google and Facebook, Twitter says it can now block specific tweets on a country-by-country basis when their contents break local law. “Twitter said that it created the tool to censor by country in order to prevent having to remove illegal content from its global network,” The Washington Post reports. “The company said that as it continues to grow globally, it’s had to rethink its policies on free expression.”  “In making this move, Twitter follows in the footsteps of Google, which created a censored version of its Web search site specifically for China in 2006, and …

Still smarting from a tough 2011, rising revenue helped Netflix beat lowered profit goals in the fourth quarter.  “Struggling to win back customer faith,” the online video-rental service “took a baby step toward redemption,” reports CNet. “Ahead of releasing their fourth-quarter earnings … Netflix had given investors plenty of reason to expect unpleasant results,” writes WebProNews. “Surprisingly, Netflix announced that they actually exceeded Wall Street’s expectations.” The company reported global revenue of $876 million -- up 47% year-over-year. Net income was down 15% to $40.7 million, but still managed to beat analyst expectations.  Writes an awfully …

Even without the iPhone 5 -- or thriving TV and mobile ad strategies -- Apple’s sustained success continues to amaze.  “There are plenty of impressive stats in Apple’s December quarter earnings report, such as 37 million iPhones shipped, $46 billion of overall sales, and $13 billion of profit,” reports ReadWriteWeb. “But Apple's most impressive stat continues to be its growth rate.” “It turns out Apple didn’t need an iPhone 5 to bolster sales,” remarks The New York Times. Indeed, “any notions that Apple's iPhone 4S was a lame duck were erased with Apple's quarterly earning,” …

Under the name "Focus on the User,” a band of developers from Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are turning up the heat on Google and its new Search Plus Your World tool. In response to the recently launched tool -- which appears to prioritize Google+ in Google's search results -- the group is challenging Google’s claim that there are technical limitations that curb its ability to include competitors' content. “Facebook, Twitter and MySpace have a message for Google: ‘Don't be evil,’” reports CNNMoney.com. In a "proof of concept" bit of software code, Focus on the User released a "bookmarklet" …

Last month, YouTube risked alienating countless viewers, publishers, and advertisers with a dramatic redesign. Yet, as new data shows, Google’s video hub is more popular than ever.  YouTube is now streaming 4 billion online videos daily -- a 25% increase in the past eight months, Google tells Reuters.  “The jump in video views comes as Google pushes YouTube beyond the personal computer, with versions of the site that work on smartphones and televisions, and as the company steps up efforts to offer more professional-grade content on the site,” Reuters reports. Writes The Verge: “The growth of …

With millions of viewers at stake, music-video service Vevo is reportedly considering cutting ties with YouTube in favor of a deal with Facebook. Sources tell CNet that the discussions are very preliminary, and noted that there's still another year remaining on Vevo's contract with YouTube. That said, meetings have apparently taken place between Vevo and Facebook at least twice, the most recently going down less than two weeks ago. “Facebook is interested in a similar arrangement to the one Vevo has now with Google's YouTube,” CNet reports. “Facebook would stream Vevo's music videos and the two companies would …

As expected, Facebook just added support for over 60 new apps, which will encourage users to share everything from Ticketmaster ticket purchases to Pinterest picture posts. “Expect to see your Facebook feeds get a bit more crowded,” The Washington Post jokes. “The [Facebook] ticker will soon be telling you about everything your friends are eating, photographing, buying, watching, tasting, reading and much more,” ComputerWorld warns. Referring to Facebook’s new Timeline feature, The Telegraph explains: “The new set of apps are … a bid to boost the appeal of Facebook’s new profile, which allows people …

Amid a circus of SOPA protests, Web watchers are still taking time to ruminate on Jerry Yang’s departure from Yahoo, and what it means for the Web giant.  Reports AllThingsD: “As it turns out, according to numerous sources, Yang had had enough, and had finally realized that perhaps the many players in the ongoing Yahoo drama inside and outside the company had also had enough of him.” “Did Yang hang around too long for his own good?” Answering his own question, CBSNews’ Charles Cooper writes: “It's a subjective question but to be fair, only a handful …