Product category:
Media
News Release from: White Label Media | Subject: Social networking sites security
Edited by the Marketingservicestalk Editorial
Team on 16 August 2007
Spokespeople must face up to Facebook
threat
Consultancy reveals only 30 per cent of users activate security settings when posting on social networking sites and warns press spokespeople not to expose personal information.
With employees from sectors as diverse as retailers, the ferry boat industry and directory enquiries facing disciplinary action and even the sack as a result of careless postings on social networking sites, consultancy White Label Media is warning against the dangers of press spokespeople exposing personal information to journalists Randomly researching the name 'Roger Smith' on Facebook recently, White Label Media found that only three of the first ten users had activated Facebook's privacy settings and all the personal information they had entered on the site was accessible
"All too often, what starts as a throw-away joke among friends on your Facebook wall can lead to embarrassing and career-threatening incidents," said Mark Dye, director, White Label Media.
"Even worse, this sort of 'back door' activity threatens the good work companies are doing to secure and protect their systems and brand values.
"The truth is that much of the content on these sites is available to anyone after the most cursory search.
"Employers and employees alike need to be more aware of the risks of the peer-to-peer (P2P) arena," added Dye.
"This isn't the seemingly secure environment that corporate email users have become familiar with over the last decade; you should always assume that everything you write online can be seen, read and digested not only by your friends but also your colleagues, customers and members of the press".
A simple search on a spokesperson's Facebook entry can reveal significant information about their leisure activities but, if insufficient care is taken, business activities as well.
"For instance, if a media spokesperson enters a comment on their entry saying they're celebrating winning a massive deal, a journalist can access that and construct a story accordingly," said Dye.
"By putting proper media training programmes in place, organisations can ensure their employees are aware of the risks and know how to avoid situations such as the story last week of a worker at UK retailer Argos who was fired for commenting on a bad day at work in highly negative terms".
Real Facebook entries that White Label Media found in its research included discovering that one user had been out all night partying returning home less than an hour before having to go to work on a Monday.
Other hair-raising entries included a dentist whose interests included being fondled on the tube.
White Label Media is a provider of editorial and media-related services.
The company specialises in producing articles, case studies, publications and web content on behalf of businesses, public relations agencies and publishers.
Established in 2007, White Label Media also provides print and online media training for senior executives using its own tried and tested video workshop format.
Whether you're looking for a simple, one-page hand-out for distribution at trade shows or a professionally produced glossy magazine to send to your customers or employees, White Label Media is your perfect partner for high-quality, cost-effective, coherent communications.
Services include: complete management of projects such as customer magazines and newsletters from concept development to distribution; copywriting for websites, intranets, case studies, advertorials and by-lined articles for publication in magazines; web and print design; media training for the print and online media; chairing industry events such as roundtables or conferences; consulting for the public relations industry to aid pitching and client service.
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