{"id":3758,"date":"2013-06-21T06:30:41","date_gmt":"2013-06-21T12:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/corevalues.com\/?p=3758"},"modified":"2013-06-21T06:30:41","modified_gmt":"2013-06-21T12:30:41","slug":"are-private-membership-sites-the-answer-to-perils-of-social-network-sites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/2013\/06\/21\/are-private-membership-sites-the-answer-to-perils-of-social-network-sites\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Private Membership Sites the Answer to Perils of Social Network Sites?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\\\"<\/a>I don\u2019t think anyone will disagree that social media sites (aka: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, etc) haven\u2019t played a crucial role in today\u2019s corporate environment. \u00a0They have opened the door to instant communication, public sharing of information, job postings, networking, free advertising opportunities\u2026.the list goes on and on.\u00a0 Sounds great, right?<\/p>\n

Yes and no\u2026<\/p>\n

Although a big part of today\u2019s culture, \u201copen community\u201d social network sites aren\u2019t without their perils.\u00a0 So today I intend to explore the pros and cons of having a social presence in these networks. Then we will turn to how adding the sibling \u201cprivate membership site\u201d<\/a> to the mix helps create the ultimate business tool for entrepreneurs, consultants, marketers, and organizations.<\/p>\n

Escort services, really???<\/b><\/p>\n

So just what does it mean to be an \u201copen community\u201d social media site? Essentially, anyone can set up an account and become an instant member of the community. This is terrific as it has certainly leveled the playing field where the \u201clittle guy\u201d can play in the same arena with the bigger corporations and organizations. However, there is also a darker side to an open community as recently addressed in LinkedIn\u2019s changes to their privacy policy and user agreement. According to LinkedIn this is a big no-no:\u00a0 creating profiles or providing content that promotes escort services or prostitution. \u00a0Apparently the open door policy isn\u2019t without its drawbacks!<\/p>\n

Employees willing to jeopardize their jobs<\/b><\/p>\n

In a recent survey conducted by Fierce, Inc., leadership development and training experts, Facebook presents its share of problems in the workplace as well. They surveyed almost 800 executives and employees in various fields and found that employees who share personal information and opinions on Facebook are in danger of risking job security and jeopardizing workplace relationships.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why:<\/b> Nearly one in three employees know of a coworker reprimanded for inappropriate posts and 40% of employees engage in inappropriate communications with colleagues by gossiping or flirting. Another 22% (that\u2019s almost 1 in 4) admitted that Facebook negatively impacted their productivity at work ultimately affecting the organization\u2019s bottom line.<\/p>\n

Here are other perils of social media in the workplace:<\/p>\n