Watch the video Did
You Know 4.0 carefully a second time, and
identify five (5) examples of 'shifts' or trends that can have an impact on how
individuals behave as a digital citizens. Then outline (in @ 400 words) how you
believe these behaviours can impact on the need for, and development of,
information policy in organisations to address these behaviours.
5 statistics from the year the video was made:
- 90% of emails sent daily were spam
- 95% of all songs downloaded were not paid for.
- 17% of US large companies disciplined an employee for violating blog or message board policies.
- Barack Obama raised over $55 million purely through online social networking.
- Iranian election disputes on Twitter were bumped by news of Michael Jackson’s death.
Why do we need information policies in
organisations?
With information and communication now so
ridiculously accessible, the semi-controlling barriers that restricted
behaviours have either been removed or dramatically reduced: what once could be
hidden or contained is now open for all to see, comment on and forward. This
much easier way to communicate comes with a flip side: a more efficient way to
get sent things we don’t want. With 90% of emails sent daily being spam, is
there a responsibility to think before sending or even think before forwarding?
With this increase in communication, behaviours and
their consequences, both positive and negative, have been magnified spectacularly.
With the barriers to accessing information severely reduced or gone, we are
more dependent on individuals to police themselves in terms of moral standards,
ethics and basic good behaviour. And it turns out many of us don’t: in the year
the video was made, 95% of all songs downloaded were not paid for.
It seems obvious that not everyone understands the
easy availability of what is said online.
Issues, secrets or even gossip previously contained within walls or
earshot can now be viewed by thousands quickly and easily. If you post, you
will be seen. Secrets will get out and the audience may include your employers
and your customers. It seems many either just don’t have the standards or the
realisation to appreciate that what you put online can affect the company and
your employment prospects. 17% of US large companies have disciplined an
employee for violating blog or message board policies.
Information policies need to set out ethical
boundaries, procedures and protocols, because it’s obvious the general
population won’t.
Physical participation in the world is no longer
necessary for an impact to be felt. Barack Obama raised over $55million purely
through online social networking. A person does not need to leave their desk or
workplace to fund a political campaign or go shopping. Do employers want their workers to be doing
such things at work? What about resources and time at work – are these just for
company use? Is it acceptable for an
employee to use a company computer or Wifi to check a personal website, send
personal emails, or go shopping? How
about during break times?
Boundaries have become blurred. It is possible to
continue working when not at work physically, so when does work finish? We can access work files from locations other
than work, while on the move, and at home.
So when do we stop working? Is it
OK for bosses to expect work to be done after hours or on holidays, just
because we can?
Information policies need to clearly outline
expectations and etiquette regarding company time and resources.
Even the processes that determine importance and
worth have changed. Iranian election disputes on Twitter were bumped by news of
Michael Jackson’s death. Obviously the
Iranian election disputes have longer ranging consequences but the pubic now
determines what is ‘news’.
Information polices are needed because what is
popular may not necessarily be what we should be paying attention to. Additionally, if your information policy does not
include a presence on social media, you may never enter the consciousness of many
actual and potential customers.
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