Sims Online undergoes
identity crisis

Ad Networks:

• AOL is introducing Quigo text ads.
• Fliqz received $3.2 million in funding to grow its online ad network offerings.
• AdLink, a European ad network, is exploring options for putting itself up for sale, possibly to a US company.
• Local.com seeks "new and interesting" ways to sell ad subscriptions and will be adding hundreds of new staffers to help with that effort.
• New online functionality will allow advertisers on SeeSaw's digital sign network to view available inventory in real time and plan accordingly.
• Getty Images found a buyer in Hellman & Friedman, which paid $2.4 billion to take the stock photo archive private.

Gaming:

• On the heels of its unexpected bid for Take-Two, Electronic Arts announced a new division dedicated to create low-cost multimedia properties, including potential expansion outside video games.
• EA also announced it will rename The Sims Online "EA Land" and make it a membership-driven free online game.

Google:

• Google is automatically matching advertisers for relevant queries they haven't selected, all without exceeding campaign budgets.
• On the search end of the company, Google implemented filters for duplicate content in an effort to improve the quality of results.
• Google may be looking to unload the deal it made with Fox Interactive for search ads. The relationship is marked by guaranteed payments and underwhelming revenue.
• New numbers from comScore point to weakness in the paid-click market, particularly in relation to Google's revenue from such ads.

Online Video:

• The appearance of an anti-Islamic movie on the site has caused Pakistan to block access to YouTube. The ban was lifted after the offending videos were removed.
• ABC and Cox Communications are testing a system that allows video-on-demand viewing but disables fast-forwarding of commercials.
• AdLink is offering long-form ad options within video-on-demand offerings from a few cable providers in some markets.

Social Networks:

• Facebook is still growing, but visitor numbers are leveling off. Whether this is an aberration, or the beginning of the end, is anyone's guess.
• MySpace made overtures to the four major record labels as it prepares to launch a multi-tiered music service.

Music and Audio:

• Random House will test offer e-book downloads as DRM-free MP3s, beginning in March.
• Warner Music Group promoted one of its key digital distribution minds to oversee digital strategy.

Signs of Doom:

• Research from BrandIntel shows high levels of positive online buzz don't do much to make sales for car brands.
• Nielsen is getting pushback from its "families" over the privacy concerns in internet usage tracking. The worries are slowing its plans to provide more cross-media measurement numbers.

Legal, Government and Regulation:

• The FTC is keeping its opinion of the IAB's new privacy guidelines to itself for the time-being, but is likely watching what the group and its members are doing.
• The actions of internet providers and others with skin in the net neutrality game are being watched by the FCC, which said it is ready to act if someone crosses the line.