Web 2.0 led to the development and evolution of many interactive web application, web based communities and hosted services. Examples are social-networking websites (best of all), wikis, blogs, and video-sharing sites (you tube). Most famous of these applications are social networking websites like LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook, Orkut, Twitter and the list goes on. Use of social networking is becoming increasingly all-encompassing in corporate workplace. Millions of people round the globe use these sites. Some believe social networks are useless and they increase the chances of adding malware and eat useful bandwidth. For others social networks are business opportunity that has to be approached carefully but optimistically. Social networks can be used for increasing sales, recruitment research and best of all marketing. All these points are considered as traditional working practices. Internet users in United States spends 90 minutes daily on social networking sites. In February, 2009 use social network claim the top spot and replace Web-based email. Experts believe that is because people look at social networks as only quicker, just email. Social Networking is considered harmful and they are banned in many countries.  First we will see what is positive about these sites, what makes them number one on internet.

Positive points of social network sites

Examples of social networking websites being used commercially for experimenting and investigating. Like gaming giants Electronic Arts is not scared of the concept and have dedicated areas in best social networking sites like MySpace, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube. Apple’s iPhone and iPod enjoy entire website optimized for them. In UK a company re-launched one of its product and it was success with most of the advertise was done with the help of load of ‘tweets’ (update on Twitter). Not only in UK but all over the world companies look at social networking sites as a good source of advice, wisdom and expertise. Few but many companies are also looking forward to recruit new employees with the help of social networking. You will find it strange but one such organization is MI5, world famous British intelligence agency. One important use of social networking websites is Market intelligence. For example micro blogging sites like Twitter is seen as mine of market research. Tweetscan, one of the best feature of Twitter allows users to extract Twitter archives. These archives are helpful as they are use to choose new trends, information about how customers connect with products & services of the company or that of the competitors. Such Marketing Intelligence is rare or difficult or expansive to use prior to Twitter, now its just few clicks away.

Things to worry about

In the enterprise world, there are five major problems with social networking: Data leakage via staff gossiping in open environment, malware scams by cyber crooks, open access to the company servers because of the outdated passwords, and most important of all loss in productivity of the staff. Blocking these kind of sites on the office floor is one way. It however have and additional issue of management for IT administrators who will keep the records of the browsing history of the employees. More than 900 websites are classified as ’social networking’.  For every MySpace there is a Bebo, for every LinkedIn there’s a Friend Of A Friend (FOAF) and for Twitter there is Twine.

One way is blocking the access to the specific networking sites on the company server. It seems a good way but the disadvantage is that if your employees are blocked sites they may find an alternative. And this could open up even a greater hole in the defense of corporate. There are many examples of sites being blocked down in many countries. Every office banned Facebook in Montenegro, this step was taken on the order of the government of Montenegro. Employees of Department of Homeland Security of US are even banned from visiting Department’s own Facebook page. Just like that use of YouTube is banned in US military and instead a special alternative called TroopTube was created for them. However afterward TroopTube was also blocked down. In many West Asian countries shut down access to Orkut, Google very own social networking website. On the base of that the site contains sexually explicit material and is widely used for ‘immoral activities’ Like Orkut other sites like Flickr, YouTube, MySpace, Hi5 are also under review in many countries. A less known disadvantage is false pages of many companies. Companies have to be down to business to direct their users to a specified location and maintaining a public list on al the social networking websites to ensure customers and employees know about you.