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Morning Update: Matt LeBlanc joins Top Gear; Google targets fake app ads; Hyundai/Toyota turn up the funny in new Super Bowl ads

Top Gear UK cast

The Guardian: Matt LeBlanc on Top Gear a welcome boost at a key time for show and BBC

Chris Evans introduced one of his new “Friends” to Top Gear fans on Thursday, announcing that Matt LeBlanc, star of the US sitcom, would join him as co-presenter of the car show when it relaunches in May.

After a sting of setbacks for Top Gear – from the loss of its executive producer after only a few months, to the emergence of pictures purporting to show Evans suffering from car sickness – the move should provide a boost for the show.

The Verge: Hyundai’s Super Bowl ads: bears, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Hart, and moderate stalking

In one of its four Super Bowl ads, Hyundai has comedian Kevin Hart hand over the keys to his new Genesis sedan — who then uses a smartwatch app to track the location of the vehicle so he can follow (stalk) the happy couple to the movies, a fair, and to a romantic make-out spot. And then scare the shit out of the young gentleman and keep him away from his daughter.

Ad Week: Toyota Prius Is ‘Heck on Wheels’ in Revamped Hybrid’s Amusingly Campy Super Bowl Work

Toyota Prius has been called many things, but never a “badass.” Until now.

The automaker is bringing the Prius to the Super Bowl for the first time in 11 years, beginning with the amusing 90-second teaser spot below, which comically positions the upgraded hybrid as a road-conquering dragster for the 9-to-5 set.

The spot’s eminently milquetoast protagonist is bland in every way, until he gets behind the wheel of his Prius, which brightens up his dull existence with a dose of power and attitude. He squeals through his neighbourhood, singing the car’s praises—to looks of surprise, horror and, eventually, admiration from onlookers.

AdAge: Watch NFL-Backed Anti-Domestic Violence Super Bowl Ad

The NFL – which was under fire last year for how it handled player domestic violence cases – has once again donated airtime in the Super Bowl for an anti-domestic violence public service announcement.

The 30-second ad will run in the third quarter on behalf of No More, an organization formed in 2013 to combat domestic violence and sexual assault. It is the same group that benefited from last year’s ad, which depicted a woman calling 911 and pretending to order a pizza as she covertly alerts the operator that her abuser is in her house.

Facebook friends link sharing

Digiday: In search of Facebook love, publishers form link-sharing pacts with each other

The Drum: Google now has the fake app ads plaguing the web in its sights

Google is looking to take on the many deceptive ads cluttering the web untruthfully funnelling users towards unwanted updates, downloads or even malicious software.

With the update to its Safe Browsing initiative, Google hopes to stamp out misleading ‘download’ and ‘play’ ads especially prevalent on torrent and video streaming websites.

 Google and Chrome users will reportedly be afforded greater protection from social engineering scams by banning ads that “Pretend to act, or look and feel, like a trusted entity – like your own device or browser, or the website itself” or “Try to trick you into doing something you’d only do for a trusted entity – like sharing a password or calling tech support.”
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