You Got Pants, Facebook Has People

Just because a social network is popular doesn't mean it's so easy to monetize, as News Corp. found out after its purchase of MySpace. Analysts have tried to extend MySpace's trouble to other social networks while balking at Facebook's $15 billion valuation. But after speaking with Facebook's Kent Schoen about the social network's fairly precise ad targeting, skeptics could be won over.

Google Wins Communication And Humanities Award

This honor might seem better suited for an individual, and it comes with a cash prize of 50,000 euros that Google really doesn't need.  Nonetheless, the search giant has won the 2008 Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities.

Microsoft Trying Out Social Network Technology

A new social network would, at this point, need to be extremely special.  The appearance of something Microsoft's working on has been described as "strikingly similar to Facebook's."  But TownSquare does have a few unique points, and it's going to get some spotlight time at an upcoming conference.

EFF Sues Rodeo Group Over Removal Of Videos On YouTube

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has asked a federal court to protect the free speech rights of an animal rights group after its video critiques of animal treatment at rodeos were removed from YouTube because of false copyright claims.The group Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) is a non-profit that videotapes rodeos in order to expose animal abuse. SHARK posted two dozen videos to YouTube to…