No Tweets Allowed: More Than Half Of Businesses Ban Social Networking

A new study by Robert Half Technology found that 54 percent of CIOs said their firms do not allow employees to visit social networking sites for any reason while at work.

Nineteen percent of the survey's 1,400 respondents said social networking is permitted for business purposes only. Another 16 percent allow limited personal use and only 10 percent give employees free rein regarding Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other sites.

Dave Willmer, executive director of Robert Half Technology, said many companies believe social networking may divert employees' attention away from more pressing priorities.

"For some professions, however, these sites can be leveraged as effective business tools, which may be why about one in five companies allows their use for work-related purposes," Willmer said in a statement.

Thomas Smith, CTO at The Public School and Public Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri, Jefferson City, Mo., said social networking in a corporate environment is a difficult puzzle to solve. His company currently blocks all access, but hosts an Internet cafe with five workstations on a separate VLAN where employees can access any site.

"This has quenched a lot of the thirst for Facebook in our firm," Smith said. "Our concern is centered around security and not so much on productivity. Our COO is very eager to get a Facebook presence for our firm so we are actively pursuing workable solutions."

The organization is implementing some new security layers that might lead to more access, Smith said. "Unfortunately, there are too many security flaws associated with these types of sites right now," he said.

Meanwhile, Gary Allen, CTO at the Amarillo (Texas) Independent School District, also said his organization blocks social networking for security and liability reasons. He advises teachers and other staff to keep any correspondence professional and to avoid interaction with students, he said.

Robert Half Technology's Willmer agreed that employees should always seek to exercise caution, no matter how lenient their company's policy.

"Professionals should use common sense even outside of business hours. Regrettable posts can be a career liability," he said in a statement.