The term ‘Web 2.0’ was first coined in 2004 to give a name to the growing number of websites and web technologies aimed at facilitating collaboration and sharing between users. This so-called ‘second wave of the Internet’ is now big business, with social networking site Facebook recently valued at an estimated $15 billion and MySpace attracting 200 million users. Millions of people are now regularly using blogs, wikis and social networking sites and are creating a dilemma for employers – should staff be allowed access to Web 2.0 sites at work?
 
Some employers are firmly in the ‘blanket ban’ camp, with Lloyds TSB, Credit Suisse and British Gas, amongst others, putting an end to staff using Facebook. The reasons cited are fears over time wasting and potential confidential data leakage. However, such blanket bans are not confined to high-profile organisations; recent research conducted by Clearswift, found that more than two-thirds of HR professionals said their organisation did not allow access to social networking sites. 
 
A high profile example of Internet misuse which may have served to encourage employers to implement blanket bans was reported in November 2007 in the Daily Telegraph, which discovered that more than 1,700 people had been sacked for internet or email misuse in the past three years from UK public sector organisations. With such incidents widely reported in the media, it is little wonder that organisations have taken a safety-first option. 
 
However, the Clearswift research shows that most HR managers are not making these decisions based on thorough experience and understanding of Web 2.0 – only 31% of HR professionals actually use Web 2.0 sites, with a further 41% claiming to be familiar with these sites but not actually using them.
 
Those who block Web 2.0 sites are missing out on the use of social networking to foster staff and client relationships. On one level, sites like LinkedIn provide a platform for business contacts to connect, but on another, such sites allow HR professionals another avenue to identify and recruit talent. Some employers will feel more comfortable with staff using business-focused social networking sites, but if used intelligently and securely, Facebook and MySpace can also prove to be valuable networking and recruiting tools. 

There are notable examples of companies embracing Web 2.0 and seeing the benefits of social networking in their organisations. However, not all organisations are the same and need the flexibility to choose which elements of social networking are right for them. For instance, a media firm may give employees access to Facebook throughout their working day for networking purposes. Yet an investment bank may prefer staff to only have access to such sites outside of work hours. 
 
Intelligent content security technology can provide organisations with this flexibility to enable them to enjoy the benefits of Web 2.0 without the worry. Such security measures can also place restrictions on what can or cannot be posted on social networking sites, and can alert those in charge of monitoring policy compliance to anyone trying to breach the policy.  Yet, while it is vital that organisations have an Internet policy, it is also important that before setting one up, those involved are personally aware of the sites they wish to give or deny access to. Without this level of knowledge it is impossible to judge how users operate on these sites and how they can be misused or exploited for business benefit. 
 
Web 2.0 is here to stay and its inherent collaborative and inclusive nature means it will continue to change and evolve to appeal to an increasing number of users. The key to effectively managing how workers use Web 2.0 is equipping those instituting policies with a sufficient level of knowledge to make informed and sensible decisions, thus striking a balance which allows staff and their employers to fully embrace the benefits of Web 2.0 in a secure and effective business environment.