Myspace & Facebook banned in offices Australian wide

Myspace and Facebook banned in offices, Australian wide

An Australian survey showed that 55% of staff said their employers banned social networking websites such as Facebook, Myspace and Bebo in the workplace. This is compared to 20% of workers in the UK, 12% in France and 11% in Spain as well as 10% in Germany and 6% in Italy.

Employees admitted:
1 in 3 (28%) hid their screens from their boss so they could use their social network sites undetected.
24% of 18-24 year olds confess to avoiding additional work tasks to make time to use social network sites
17% skip lunch breaks to justify the time they spend on social network sites
8% explained that they had been in trouble after being caught on social network sites
66% believed that Facebook is for play as well and they accepted friend requests from work colleagues.

Laurel Papworth, is a leading Australian social network strategist and blogger who has 20 years' experience in the use of social networks and digital communities, about the newest social networking results.

Laurel thinks this change has come about because "there isn't such thing as the 9-5 job anymore and the younger generations know this. Everyone now sits with their laptop on their lap whilst watching the television and whilst on dates they use their mobile and sms on the weekend. The social life is always on. Facebook is used partly for work and partly for a mental break."

In regards to the survey showing that 24% of 18-24 year olds confess to avoiding additional work tasks to make time to use social network sites Laurel explained that she believes it is "dangerous to block things as then it will turn into excessive use of things like mobiles or online games."

When asked if social networking sites were good for business Laurel Papworth explained that she runs a "successful business through social networking and thinks it is a good way to get out there and gain press, for free."

The new INQ1 phone from the 3 Network is offering unlimited Facebook access so Aussies can get social anytime.

Lauren Papworth has also idenfitied the seven different types of social networking butterflies:
What kind of social butterfly are you?
Digital strategist Laurel Papworth has identified the seven different types of social networking butterflies:

Camoufly:
Changes colour depending on the environment. In social networks, the Camoufly keeps their profile separate for each network. Reading the social situation and behaving appropriately is their greatest gift, a place and time for everything. Facebook is strictly for friends and family - forget them adding the boss or popping online at work to poke friends! The Camoufly screens their calls too, pushing personal calls to voicemail at work - privacy is paramount to the vanishing Camoufly.

Flutterby:
Forever flits in and out. Forever fluttering about, on the hunt for unusual and intriguing web sites, the Flutterby will take a cool video from YouTube, post it on Facebook, then Tweet it to followers. Always planning what's next the Flutterby is excellent at connecting random information to the right person at the right time. A lunch break is peak time to flitter about online communities and find exactly the right contact for the next business pitch or dinner party. The Flutterby is the most likely to belong to many social networks and have many online friends - just don't expect this butterfly to remember them.

Followfly:
Sticks close to family and friends. The Followfly is a social animal; the service doesn't matter to them, as long as they can connect. Facebook, MySpace, YouTube - social Networks are just a tool - they'll go where their friends are. The Followfly is most likely a grandparent keeping in touch with grandchildren or a busy event planner who wants to organise Friday drinks using Facebook Events. Who cares how many friends there are or which network is bigger - friends and family are where the Followfly will fly.

Climberfly:
Climbs the social network ladder. The Climberfly is the equivalent of high society in the blogosphere. The well connected Climberfly knows who's who and what's what and has the most friends on Facebook. The Climberfly use their web of connections to make sure their information is heard and distributed. This social butterfly is the most likely to use their connections and social media savvy to create their own business or become a leader in their industry. The Climberfly is hyper-connected both online and offline and does not deal well with the Flutterby who is constantly in and out of their social networks.

Imaginfly:
Creative and focused. The Imaginfly is a content creator who will take your wedding photos, scan them, turn them into a slideshow, create a music soundtrack and upload the creation to YouTube. Working in isolation yet wanting an audience, the Imaginfly is an original thinker, paying little attention to what the rest of the social network are doing. Ever creative the Imaginfly is well respected for the quality and originality of their contributions to the network.

Madam Butterfly:
Self involved and focussed on their social networking needs. In a virtual world, Madam Butterfly will have their online 3D representation aka avatar, with the best haircut, fashion and virtual car. Photos shared online will be all about them - Madam Butterfly at work, at home, with famous people, playing sport. Madam Butterfly spends time frantically updating their Facebook status and refreshing pages in hope of a new message. Strangely, Madam Butterfly has the least friends of all the butterfly species making them the most likely to fall trap to inappropriate confessions such as drink dialling.

Spyfly:
Watchers of the social networking world. The Spyfly is often the lurker of social networks, watching and observing to learn the purpose and value systems of the social network that they have joined. The Spyfly is wise, perceptive and able to understand the motives of others in the online community. They rarely contribute but when they do, their opinions and insights are gold.

Should Myspace and Facebook be banned or restricted within office hours?

Have your say www.femail.com.au/blog/