Social Sophistication

By Alex Parker

There's been some huffing and puffing lately about government agencies--and the military--restricting access to some social networking sites. But one local government has a more permissive approach. According to The Washington Examiner, Montgomery County (Md.) employees will now have access to Facebook, the incredibly popular social networking site. But in order to try to keep unnecessary use of the Web site down, the county government will keep track of each employees Facebook use--and will create a list of the top 25 (ab)users of the privilege.

How to regulate Facebook--and Twitter, and ESPN.com, and the countless other Web sites loved by procrastinators--can be a tricky question for a manager. In my first reporting job, access to sites like Facebook and MySpace was blocked, but the block was eventually lifted. I never asked why, but I assumed it was because someone realized those sites could be invaluable tools for a reporter -- a great way to track down a subject or get breaking news.

And, as government agencies increasingly use social networking to promote their missions, banning them from use may become impracticable.

How are social networking sites handled in your office?