Companies Should Allow Secure Access to Social Networking Sites, Say Industry Experts

Businesses will require their IT security systems to provide secure access to Web 2.0 services, rather than block the facility

(04.04.08) - Research published by the Gartner Group recommends that businesses should not block access to social networking sites like Facebook, Bebo and others, but rather embrace these consumer tools to encourage creativity and collaboration on the job. The research relies on a Gartner Executive Programs survey of 1,500 CIOs worldwide, in which half of the respondents said they plan to invest in Web 2.0 technologies for the first time in 2008.

WorkLight, an Enterprise 2.0 company, has said that Gartner's report on Web 2.0 services is a clear indication of the added-value that social networking services and other consumer tools bring to the workplace.

"Once secure access to Web 2.0 services is enabled, then the benefits of these services, which include collaboration, mindsharing and professional social networking amongst employees, affiliates and partners, can be maximized," says David Lavenda, WorkLight’s Vice President of Marketing and Product Strategy.

Lavenda says the company has seen considerable interest in the adoption of Web 2.0 services amongst businesses in the financial and technology services sectors, while this trend continues to affect major enterprises with a global footprint across the board.

"The research alerts that in the near future businesses will require their IT security systems to provide secure access to Web 2.0 services like Facebook, rather than block the facility," says Lavenda, adding that it is important that consumer tools are enhanced to support enterprise levels of security before they are introduced to the workforce.

"Use of consumer tools for work-related tasks must be protected by enterprise-grade security measures," said Lavenda, adding that, with the right safeguards in place, Web 2.0 services will add significant business value for forward-thinking companies that embrace the technology.

For more on Gartner's report: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=618908

(WorkLight: ra)