it is tough for companies to say the social networks are banned when the organizations themselves using social networks in a big to keep in touch with customers. The best way to take care of this to train the employees to be responsible and also have up to date security systems in place.
"Many businesses figured this out some time ago and now block employee access to social networking sites"
@Nemos, I agree with you that this is the most easiest way of solving this problem, but i dont think this is foolproof solution. I have seen inspite of social network sites being blocked many people use proxy to connect to those sites. So i dont think this solution is a viable option.
"Many businesses figured this out some time ago and now block employee access to social networking sites."
This is the easy way and this way of solving problems love to use the I.T department of its company that facing this kind of problems. The solution is very obvious and simple , inform and train how to use media and what to avoid while using social media. Furthermore,, there are many new anti-virus packages that have included the anti virus for the social media.
@Flyingscot, You actually made good points on that and i agree with you.-Should working in a company mar your relationship or communication with other people but then I advocate for proper monitoring instead.
As usual technology created this problem by being rolled out to the masses before adequate security safeguards and protocols were established. Even today after many companies are starting to feel real the impact from such threats there is no foolproof solution yet. The technology companies that create social networking sites have an obligation to solve his problem in partnership with their corporate clients.
Furthermore government regulators here and abroad have a fiducial responsibility to audit such networking sites and probe for weaknesses in security protocols. This is much the same as the oversight the US govt is required to provide to banks concerning mortgage backed securities and to pharmaceutical/biotech companies prior to granting FDA approval.
The difference is not everyone purchases securities or uses every drug available however the use of social media is already nearly ubiqitous and could threaten to grind the global economy to a halt if a major attack occurs. Already the US has lost many thousands of jobs due to IP theft. I work in high tech and have seen first hand the impact on companies large and small who already face many challenges due to the US patent system and global competition from low cost foreign copy cats.
@jbond, that seems to be standard policy in financial firms. The default settings for all users blocks Facebook and LinkedIn, as well as certain other sites flagged for various reasons.
The biggest problem with all the social networking sites is that they allow a person to become a member of that site without revealing his/her identity. The only verification is done of the valid email address. but to create your email address also you don't need to validate your true identity. So it is all virtual world where a person may not know whether the person he is having a daily chat with is really a man or a woman , a young girl or an old lady.
With sucha virtual world out there how can any real world company think of using it for the real business purpose and then get its hands burnt. and then cry foul about it?
@mfbertozzi, you do bring up a good point about international settings. Though I do know the company my husband works for is a large international company with locations throughout the globe and they have a pretty strict policy. Many people have limited access to only a few sites. To get free access to search the web you have to get approval and show business relevance. Even then certain sites are restricted, and social media sites are some of them. This is a global IT security policy, so it doesn't matter if you're in the U.S. or over in Asia, the policy is the same.
Exactly Jbond, approach your are describing is a possibility, but this one or any other approach has to consider rules in the matter of privacy. Clear rules about, are not definitely consolidated and strong changes are present from country to country. In addition, for instance, I was wondering for an international corporation holding several sites or branch offices across the globe, what should be right implementation.
I have to agree with previous comments that social networking isn't going anywhere and is here to stay. In fact it seems like every few months some new form of social media appears. I don't think cyber threats through social media are as common place as the report makes them out to be, yet. Ultimately if companies choose to use social media they need to restrict the access to applicable employees.
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Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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