CIOs restrict access to social networks: Survey

By SiliconIndia | Thursday, January 5, 2012

Concerned over the use and abuse of social networking sites, chief information officers (CIO) are now very strict about their employees accessing such sites, reveals a survey.

A survey done by Robert Half, an IT staffing company, found that 38 percent of the CIOs surveyed have created strict policies on employee using social networking sites. However 17 percent of the CIOs have relaxed their rules. CIOs believe that sites like Twitter and Facebook can disrupt the work. As a result, 23 percent of the executives surveyed said they've placed limits on social networks when used for personal reasons, while only 15 percent have tightened access to such sites when employees use them for business.

The survey found that Social networks present a two-way street for businesses today. Employees can use Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch with customers and contacts and promote their organizations. But these sites can also be a distraction and a temptation to inadvertently post sensitive company information. The challenge for a business is to balance the risks with the rewards and find the right solution in the form of social-networking policies.

"There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to social-networking policies. To be effective, guidelines should include input from stakeholders throughout the organization, including IT, legal, human resources, marketing, public relations and front-line employees," said Dave Willmer, Executive Director of Robert Half Technology.

The survey, conducted by an independent research firm in January, was based on phone interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs from U.S. companies with 100 or more employees.