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Rediff.com  » Business » US: 30% workers for posting employer info on social sites

US: 30% workers for posting employer info on social sites

Source: PTI
September 01, 2009 17:42 IST
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People working on computersAbout one-third of employees in the US favour posting information about their employers on social networking sites as long as they consider it is true, says a survey on potential risks social media pose for businesses.

The survey by insurance firm Travelers, which surveyed 2,000 people across the US, showed that one out of eight respondents posts work-related information on social websites.

"Thirty per cent feel it is acceptable to post information online about their employer as long as they believe it is true," the survey revealed.

According to the survey, more than 75 per cent of those who post anything personal online said they were 'not at all' or 'not very concerned' about information posted online causing professional damage.

"As the use of social media grows at an unprecedented rate, especially among 30 to 49-year olds, the likelihood of businesses being affected by employee social media use also increases," Travelers Global Technology president Kathy Swendsen said.

"An employee could inadvertently post confidential information that could cause irreparable harm to a business. In addition, the speed and ease of publication to a wide audience makes it virtually impossible to remove the information once it is posted."

Growth of social media and lack of awareness among employees and employers on how social media is changing the corporate landscape could increase a company's risk exposure.

"Employees' increased use of social media may amplify a businesses' exposure to potential liabilities such as harassment, defamation, copyright infringement and privacy violations," Swendsen said.

The survey also found that two-thirds of respondents say their company does not have a policy in place for social media usage, or they are not aware that one exists.

"By implementing policies to address social media usage and making employees aware of those policies, businesses can reduce their exposures to legal liabilities, breaches of proprietary information and damage to a company's brand and reputation," Swendsen added.

In order to help reduce potential risks of social media, businesses should consider the practices like developing a policy to govern employee actions on social media tools that a company might deploy within the company's network, as well as provide guidelines for employees to conduct themselves on external these sites.

The report also said the company should communicate and train its employees.

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