Who or what was responsible for Facebook’s most widespread -- not to mention raunchiest -- spam attack ever? The social network isn’t saying, but it claims to have identified the culprit. “In addition to the engineering teams that build tools to block spam, we also have a dedicated enforcement team that has already identified those responsible and is working with our legal team to ensure appropriate consequences follow,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. As ZDNet notes, the spokesman refused to disclose their identities, or to discuss what exactly the social networking giant has in store for the individuals. …

According to multiple reports this week, Brad Garlinghouse is on the way out at AOL. President of AOL’s applications and commerce group, and head of its Silicon Valley operations, Garlinghouse came on in 2009 to help revive growth at the struggling Web company. “The turnover deals a blow to AOL’s comeback effort, led by Chief Executive Officer Tim Armstrong,” note Bloomberg. “Already the company has struggled to hang on to users and advertisers, which are increasingly flocking to social-networking sites, such as Facebook Inc. AOL shares lost 37 percent this year before today.” Garlinghouse previously worked at Yahoo where he …

Continuing to gussy up its soon-to-debut UK-and Ireland-based services, Netflix just extended its content licensing deal with Miramax. “Expanding its deal with Miramax in the U.S., Netflix will allow members to view Miramax movies on their Internet-connected televisions, tablets, consoles, PCs and even mobile phones, offering popular titles including "Pulp Fiction," "Chicago," "The Aviator" and "Gangs of New York,” The Next Web reports. Netflix declined to disclose the terms, but that’s no surprise, given both companies already have agreements in place in the U.S and Latin America. Earlier this week, Netflix confirmed an agreement with Lionsgate for the U.K and …

Zappos founder Nick Swinmurn is dishing on his latest project, RNKD, the goal of which is to gather information about what brands people are loyal to, and then use that data to shower brands with invaluable consumer insights. What’s in it for consumers? RNKD (pronounced “ranked”) plans to give them virtual badges and product discounts in return for information they provide. Entering beta testing this week, Swinmurn believes RNKD will serve as a far better predictor of purchase behavior than even a direct conversation with consumers. “What you have is a better predictor than what you say you want,” Swinmurn …

About Google’s music service, which is expected to debut, today. Bloomberg’s Brian Womack and Andy Fixmer are certain the search giant is nearly a decade too late to pose a credible threat to Apple’s iTunes music service. Well, not absolutely certain. “The company’s reach on the Web may help it succeed,” they admit in a co-authored report. Working in its favor, Google reportedly just reached an agreement with Sony Corp. (6758)’s music unit, and already has deals with Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group and EMI Group. Still, “they’re coming into this market rather late in the game, where there are …

Sure to worry cable and satellite operators, Sony is reportedly considering a Web-based content service of its own. Citing sources, The Wall Street Journal reports that Sony has already approached several “big media companies” to negotiate the rights to offer their TV channels over the Web in the United States. Sources add that Sony plans to beam the channels over Web connections to Sony-made devices, including PlayStation gaming consoles, TV sets and Blu-ray players. What size threat could the Japanese electronics and entertainment giant pose to the U.S. cable business? Well, Comcast -- the biggest U.S. cable operator -- has …

The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly defending computer hacking laws that make it a crime to use a fake name on Facebook or lie about your weight in an online dating profile on a site like Match.com. So reports CNet, citing a statement scheduled to be delivered this week by the Justice Department, in which it argues that it must be able to prosecute violations of Web sites' "terms of service" policies. The law must allow "prosecutions based upon a violation of terms of service or similar contractual agreement with an employer or provider," Richard Downing, the Justice Department's …

In what would be a boon to its new music service -- and represent serious competition for existing and wannabe music providers -- Google is reportedly close to securing songs from Vivendi SA’s Universal Music Group. “An accord with Universal, the world’s biggest music company, may be signed as early as tomorrow,” reports Bloomberg, citing a source. Google has already sent out invitations for a music event on Wednesday in Los Angeles. As was previously reported by AllThingsD, Google is thought to have already signed a binding agreement with EMI Group. “Google aims to open a music-download store that allows …

Worldwide, sales of mobile devices hit 440.5 million units in the third quarter of the year, according to fresh data from Gartner. All told, that represented a 5.6% increase year-over-year. In what will be music to Google’s ears, more than 50% of all smartphones bought by consumers in the third quarter were built on the Android OS. What’s more, non-smartphone devices also performed well, according to Gartner, as they were driven by demand in emerging markets for low-cost devices from white-box manufacturers, as well as for dual-subscriber identity module devices. Bigger picture, "Our forecast for the end of the year …

   On the heels of a successful IPO, Groupon is reportedly planning a big holiday marketing effort. As Reuters reports, the daily deal leader “is trying to grab a much larger share of consumers' holiday spending this year.” Last year, Groupon tested a holiday campaign dubbed Grouponicus, which offered discount deals in 15 cities. This year, Grouponicus will target 41 cities in the United States and Canada, and will push bigger-ticket items than ever before, Reuters writes. “Groupon plans to offer so-called ‘Epic Deals’ starting Nov 15,” which will feature specific experiences, such as a round-the-world trip and a cooking …