ID :
205817
Wed, 09/07/2011 - 14:26
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/205817
The shortlink copeid
Britain Rushes to Block Access to Facebook, Twitter
TEHRAN (FNA)- Nearly a third of British companies are now blocking access to social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter at work, according to a survey.
In last year the proportion of businesses restricting access to the services on the basis of security concerns has more than trebled, it found. In 2010 only 9 per cent of the British companies had social networking bans in place, compared to 32 per cent now.
According to Clearswift, the security firm that carried out the survey, a series of high-profile hacking incidents such as the recent attacks on Sony has driven concern among managers that employees could leak data or be tricked into downloading computer viruses.
A separate survey by Protiviti, a consultancy firm, found that most employees do not view their social networking activity as a security risk. Only 17 per cent said websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn pose a major risk to corporate security, in contrast to managers.
"The big challenge for organizations is that public and private use of social networking sites has blurred," said Jonathan Wyatt, managing director of Protiviti.
"On one hand, employees are using social networking tools for managing activities in their private life - but accessing these tools from corporate systems. On the other hand, employees are being asked to carry out specific tasks relating to work via the same social networks."
But observers question why blocking social networks has started at this special juncture, when Britain is witnessing wide-scale unrests mainly arranged by the youth through such networks.
Despite London's claims about supporting freedom of expression and flow of information, Britain's Prime Minister threatened to block access to social networking websites following the outbreak of social unrests in the country, London in particular.
Cameron addressed a statement to the parliament last month, warning to unleash a clampdown on the web-based social outfits, including Facebook, Twitter and Research in Motion, the producer of BlackBerry devices.
He said the government would consider applying the ban against the people, who are suspected of 'inciting violence online.'
The premier cautioned the websites to take more responsibility for their contents.
Cameron's threat, meanwhile, defied the White Hall's claim to being an advocate of human rights and freedom of expression.
Concerned over the role played by the social media in inciting unrests during the recent protests in the UK, a top British Parliamentary body headed by Indian-origin MP Kieth Vaz asked the bosses of Twitter, Facebook and BlackBerry to appear before it.
"Today I have written to the Chairmen of Twitter, Facebook and BlackBerry because it is absolutely clear that the new media had a role in the number of people who turned up at various places," Vaz, Chairman of the influential Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, said.
"It is clear that people were using the private BlackBerry network" to announce that there is going to be unrests in such and such street and such and such time, he said.
"This is a new phenomenon to the world and it certainly challenges all police forces," Vaz said.
For protestors in the UK, the communication tool of choice has apparently been BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) which acted as their private social network for rallying around potential targets, British media reports said.
The Scotland Yard has already said that it was tracking down the persons who posted messages on social media, that were used to organize and coordinate the unrests in London.
BBM, as it is known, is an instant messaging application and allows users to communicate in a similar way as text messaging, but effectively without charge, as traffic is exchanged via the Internet.
In last year the proportion of businesses restricting access to the services on the basis of security concerns has more than trebled, it found. In 2010 only 9 per cent of the British companies had social networking bans in place, compared to 32 per cent now.
According to Clearswift, the security firm that carried out the survey, a series of high-profile hacking incidents such as the recent attacks on Sony has driven concern among managers that employees could leak data or be tricked into downloading computer viruses.
A separate survey by Protiviti, a consultancy firm, found that most employees do not view their social networking activity as a security risk. Only 17 per cent said websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn pose a major risk to corporate security, in contrast to managers.
"The big challenge for organizations is that public and private use of social networking sites has blurred," said Jonathan Wyatt, managing director of Protiviti.
"On one hand, employees are using social networking tools for managing activities in their private life - but accessing these tools from corporate systems. On the other hand, employees are being asked to carry out specific tasks relating to work via the same social networks."
But observers question why blocking social networks has started at this special juncture, when Britain is witnessing wide-scale unrests mainly arranged by the youth through such networks.
Despite London's claims about supporting freedom of expression and flow of information, Britain's Prime Minister threatened to block access to social networking websites following the outbreak of social unrests in the country, London in particular.
Cameron addressed a statement to the parliament last month, warning to unleash a clampdown on the web-based social outfits, including Facebook, Twitter and Research in Motion, the producer of BlackBerry devices.
He said the government would consider applying the ban against the people, who are suspected of 'inciting violence online.'
The premier cautioned the websites to take more responsibility for their contents.
Cameron's threat, meanwhile, defied the White Hall's claim to being an advocate of human rights and freedom of expression.
Concerned over the role played by the social media in inciting unrests during the recent protests in the UK, a top British Parliamentary body headed by Indian-origin MP Kieth Vaz asked the bosses of Twitter, Facebook and BlackBerry to appear before it.
"Today I have written to the Chairmen of Twitter, Facebook and BlackBerry because it is absolutely clear that the new media had a role in the number of people who turned up at various places," Vaz, Chairman of the influential Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, said.
"It is clear that people were using the private BlackBerry network" to announce that there is going to be unrests in such and such street and such and such time, he said.
"This is a new phenomenon to the world and it certainly challenges all police forces," Vaz said.
For protestors in the UK, the communication tool of choice has apparently been BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) which acted as their private social network for rallying around potential targets, British media reports said.
The Scotland Yard has already said that it was tracking down the persons who posted messages on social media, that were used to organize and coordinate the unrests in London.
BBM, as it is known, is an instant messaging application and allows users to communicate in a similar way as text messaging, but effectively without charge, as traffic is exchanged via the Internet.
