Facebook completes acqui-hire of Vidpresso

Facebook
CEO Mark Zuckerberg pours a glass of water as he testifies before
Congress.
Andrew
Harnik/AP

• Facebook has completed an acqui-hire of interactive
  video company Vidpresso.
• Vidpresso works with clients like BuzzFeed to overlay
  videos with interactive elements, including polls, graphics,
  and comments.
• But Vidpresso was one of 61 firms that was late in
  complying with Facebook data rules in 2015.

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Facebook has hired the team behind Vidpresso, an interactive
video company that was late in complying with data rules put in
place by the social network in 2015.

Vidpresso announced it was joining Facebook in a blog
on its website, while Facebook confirmed to TechCrunch that it
has acqui-hired the firm, poaching its seven-strong team and
its technology but not the company itself.

Vidpresso, which was founded in Utah in 2012, works with
broadcasters and publishers to overlay their Facebook or YouTube
videos with interactive elements, including polls, graphics, and
comments. Its clients include BuzzFeed, BMW, MTV, and Fox Sports.

“By joining Facebook we’ll be able to offer our tools to a much
broader audience than just our A-list publishing partners,”
Vidpresso said. “Eventually, it’ll allow us to put these tools in
the hands of creators, so they can focus on their content, and
have it look great, without spending lots of time or money to do
so.”

Business Insider has contacted Facebook for comment.

Facebook has had dealings with Vidpresso before. The interactive
video firm was one of 61 companies given a special extension
after it was late in complying with data rules.

In April 2014, Facebook introduced a new, more restricted API, or
application program interface, requiring that new apps go through
a review-and-approval process and preventing new apps from
accessing friends’ data without review.

Most apps on the platform had until May 2015 to comply with these
changes, but Vidpresso was among those given until November.
Facebook revealed this in written
evidence to US Congress last month, but did not explain why
the 61 firms received special dispensation.

There’s no suggestion Vidpresso did anything wrong, but the news
comes at a time when Facebook’s use of data is under particular
scrutiny following the Cambridge Analytica scandal in March.

Vidpresso’s team joined up with Facebook on Monday and, according
to TechCrunch, staff will be based in Menlo Park, London, and LA.