According to ScanSafe, 20% of employers are now blocking social networking sites on their company internet. Granted, employers feel that Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and others social media websites can be horrible time wasters; however, they can also be great informational tools, especially if you follow your local government or law enforcement agency through them.
As more law enforcement agencies begin to use social media for critical information, these sites gain a legitimacy that they have not had in the past. Social media information is changing from “I’m eating a ham sandwich” to “Recent string of burglaries in Maplewood: make sure to lock your doors and windows.”
And as these sites begin to be more important sources of real-time information, employers could find themselves at the wrong end of a backlash from citizens and law enforcement who want to give and have access to vital information. For example, besides giving safety reminders, many police agencies will send out traffic information that gives citizens an idea of where accidents have been, so they can avoid them on the drive home. As well, some agencies have sent information through social media about school closings, city emergencies, and other important events that citizens need to know about as soon as possible.
Blocking access to this information could be an increasing concern for employers as more and more people and law enforcement agencies begin to communicate through social media and share legitimately important information.
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Social media has become very prevalent in the way we communicate today. It is no longer a bunch of uncontrolled, random messaging between friends, but an established resource for important information from businesses and public service authorities. Employers can ignore this, but it doesn’t mean that it will go away. Cutting off employees from social media is effectively cutting them off from a large part of the community and instant access to information, which can have negative impacts on business. Employers definitely need to implement social media monitoring and usage policies if they feel people may be wasting time, but in my opinion, banning social media all together will lessen a company’s competitiveness.