Experts reject Swiss Facebook ban at work

I was interviewed by Swisster for an article on the recent bans of Facebook by several Swiss organizations. My conclusion: people who love their job don't waste time on Facebook (and bans won't work because of, among other things, Facebook Mobile). The good news is that several organizations have more balanced answers, mostly in the private sector:

When Philip Morris International was contacted in July, it confirmed restricted access, but has since then revised its policy.

"PMI employees have been provided access to social media sites, including Facebook, strictly for private purposes only. When accessing such sites, employees must refrain from communicating any business or product related information and always ensure the use of such internet platforms is for private purposes," Iro Antoniadou in the press office explains.

Nestlé Suisse appears to more liberal and "does not restrict access to social networks, including Facebook. Their use is under the responsibility of our collaborators and we are fully confident that they use them with reason," Nestlé spokesman Philippe Oertlé specifies.

Nor have the cantons of Vaud or Geneva decided on a ban. Patrick Genoud, technology councillor at the Technology Observatory of Geneva canton defends the principle that social networks are a source of capital. [...]

"The hard truth," says Laurent Haug, founder and director of Lift Conference, the international gathering that explores the social implications of new technologies, "is that the only solution is to give people a job they like! That way they don't need to go on Facebook."

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Commercial break: The dynamics of communities will be one of the themes discussed at Lift11. Get your ticket at the early bird price of 590chf for three days!