If the rumor mill is to be believed, Apple is working on some seriously social tools -- apart from a new feature on iTunes 9, which will allow users to broadcast songs they're listening to out to various social networks.

How much did Facebook pay for FriendFeed, a start-up that lets users share links and status updates online? Just shy of $50 million, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the deal. To be exact, the company paid roughly $15 million in cash, with the rest in Facebook stock that vests over several years and would be worth roughly $32.5 million based on the $6.5 billion common valuation.

After a couple months of internal testing, Facebook has started to roll out a search service geared to give it an edge in the real-time search market. The new service -- which allows users to find status updates, photos, links, and videos posted by their friends and the broader community -- will compete directly with Twitter's search engine, which, until now, has served as the best judge of what Web users are "thinking" at any given moment in time. It's heartening to see that, despite its market dominance, Facebook is still actively involved in …

Ad trade groups are gearing up for likely regulatory fights on various fronts, including the possibility of new rules for behaviorally targeted advertising, as well as those that appear during children's programming.

Like many an assassination attempt, the cyber attack last week that security experts said was aimed at silencing a single Georgian blogger appears to have backfired, making him a global celebrity.

While it has yet to be officially "deadpooled," the once thriving RSS feed reader Bloglines, is at least on its death bead, according to TechCrunch.

Silicon Alley insider all but accuses Google and TechCrunch's Michael Arrington of being in cahoots to promote Google Voice Internet phone service.

Getting creative, General Motors on Tuesday plans to launch a pilot program with online auction site eBay designed to introduce a new and potentially exciting avenue for buyers.

It's hard to believe that there are career counselors who try to sell people on managing their social media lives. At least it would be hard to believe if these things didn't keep popping up. Social networking in the workplace just needs an ounce of common sense. Or this happens.

Talk about your direct deposit. USAA Bank is instituting a new program where customers can deposit a check by snapping a pic with their iPhone, and dialing it in.