I guess the difference between our positions is that I am saying the corporates care about their positions on this matter and they also have some valid points, especially if they're not trying to get their staff involved in this stuff.

It strikes me that you deal with the select few who somehow have been nominated to get involved in company Web 2 strategies, or individuals o organisations where everyone has to play a role in the marketing and client acquisition. In these cases it doesn't make sense for a company to ban FB, but in a business with a few thousand employees, where only a handful have the mandate to do this kind of stuff, the rest are just taking the piss.

I't not as if LinkedIn has been banned – people are just using FB compulsively during work hours to the point that it becomes identified as a problem. In many companies its now the most visited site and responsible for the most bandwith. If people were using it the same way they use LinkedIn there wouldn't be a problem.

So while I am not for the banning of Facebook unconditionally, I would support a corporate who, like ABSA, turns it off and then selectively opens it to the people who really do need it.

In fact a better idea – block it from 8:30 to 5PM or whatever normal working hours are.

I have a friend who is a trainer and she says she finds it almost impossible to teach, especially graphics programmes to older people – their heads just don't work that way.

I struggle to get people going with blogs and other web 2.0 applications because they don't get it – once I get them into Facebook and they learn to upload pics and do all the things, they start getting excited about social networking – this is not usually for recreation, it is to promote their websites.

In South Africa we have a very un-computer/internet minded population. Most websites are brochures. My standard reply from people is “why should I pay you to write copy for me – we can just use my annual report!”

Facebook is a hook. It reaches into that place in people called community, even if it is only virtual community and makes them forget they live behind razor wire and high walls.It makes them feel like they belong again, it validates them.

And while our shell-shocked society is getting all this stroking they're getting hooked into the internet and are learning its language, their computer skills are improving and they are actually becoming more valuable to their employer.

Well, you see, maybe that's just me. I work for myself and it's really a thrill for me if I can get someone excited about Web2.0.

Do I care about the corporates' bottom line? Not really.

PS. Independent on Saturday had this interesting story on the from page yesterday – Taxing time for South Africans, that says that average South African employee only gets to keep a day's pay a week according to research carried out by retired Absa Bank economist Adam Jacobs who found out that people for out 65% direct and indirect taxation.

And then you want their Facebook taken away, Vincent?

I guess the difference between our positions is that I am saying the corporates care about their positions on this matter and they also have some valid points, especially if they’re not trying to get their staff involved in this stuff.

It strikes me that you deal with the select few who somehow have been nominated to get involved in company Web 2 strategies, or individuals o organisations where everyone has to play a role in the marketing and client acquisition. In these cases it doesn’t make sense for a company to ban FB, but in a business with a few thousand employees, where only a handful have the mandate to do this kind of stuff, the rest are just taking the piss.

I’t not as if LinkedIn has been banned – people are just using FB compulsively during work hours to the point that it becomes identified as a problem. In many companies its now the most visited site and responsible for the most bandwith. If people were using it the same way they use LinkedIn there wouldn’t be a problem.

So while I am not for the banning of Facebook unconditionally, I would support a corporate who, like ABSA, turns it off and then selectively opens it to the people who really do need it.

In fact a better idea – block it from 8:30 to 5PM or whatever normal working hours are.

I have a friend who is a trainer and she says she finds it almost impossible to teach, especially graphics programmes to older people – their heads just don’t work that way.

I struggle to get people going with blogs and other web 2.0 applications because they don’t get it – once I get them into Facebook and they learn to upload pics and do all the things, they start getting excited about social networking – this is not usually for recreation, it is to promote their websites.

In South Africa we have a very un-computer/internet minded population. Most websites are brochures. My standard reply from people is “why should I pay you to write copy for me – we can just use my annual report!”

Facebook is a hook. It reaches into that place in people called community, even if it is only virtual community and makes them forget they live behind razor wire and high walls.It makes them feel like they belong again, it validates them.

And while our shell-shocked society is getting all this stroking they’re getting hooked into the internet and are learning its language, their computer skills are improving and they are actually becoming more valuable to their employer.

Well, you see, maybe that’s just me. I work for myself and it’s really a thrill for me if I can get someone excited about Web2.0.

Do I care about the corporates’ bottom line? Not really.

PS. Independent on Saturday had this interesting story on the from page yesterday – Taxing time for South Africans, that says that average South African employee only gets to keep a day’s pay a week according to research carried out by retired Absa Bank economist Adam Jacobs who found out that people for out 65% direct and indirect taxation.

And then you want their Facebook taken away, Vincent?