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Public sector heads of ICT should be taking the lead in encouraging councils to embrace social media and not be party to moves to block staff from using these important new tools for business, says the latest report from Socitm Insight.

In fact, according to a survey of IT managers published in Social media: why ICT management should lead their organisations to embrace it, many councils currently take a cautious view of social media, with some 90% restricting access in some way.

About 67% have a total ban on use, enforced either through policy or by a software block. Others allow use of out of office our or over the lunch period - suggesting that they see these tools as purely social and not having any business benefit. In contrast, according to Computer Weekly, some 80% of private sector organisations do not block access.

The survey shows that security is at top the list of reasons that the ICT managers surveyed cite for restricting access, with possible exposure to viruses, malware and spyware chief causes for concern. Other main worries are around time wasting by council staff, risk of reputational damage, systems and data compromise and increases in bandwidth requirements.

The report tackles each of these issues in turn, demonstrating that it is impossible to stop people using it: if they can’t access it through systems provided at work, they will simply use their own devices. Security risks associated with enabling people to access social media through the organisation’s systems, and the need to increase bandwidth to accommodate its use, can be managed and need to be built into the ICT strategy.

On the plus side, the report argues that social media may help address looming budget issues faced by public service organisations, by providing economical ways of engaging citizens, delivering services, and by empowering and supporting employees.

As well as exploring why public service organisations should embrace social media, the 44pp report provides:

•a guide to current activity in social media, informed by a survey of public and voluntary sector managers

•examples of how councils and individuals are using social media for a range of service delivery and engagement activity, identifying eight types of social media with potential business benefits and a range of applications in use

•advice to CIOs and ICT managers on what they need to do in order to support and exploit social media facilities for business advantage, including a checklist of essential actions to ensure their organisation considers and decides upon appropriate action in this area

‘Use of social media has exploded, appearing on the radar of ICT managers, but mostly for the wrong reasons’ says report author Chris Head. ‘The term 'social' implies 'not related to work', but this is a fallacy. CIOs and heads of ICT need to take the lead and educate colleagues on the organisation’s management team about the benefits of social media, as well as finding ways to accommodate them appropriately and safely through the corporate infrastructure.

Copies of Social media: why ICT management should lead their organisations to embrace it are available free of charge to subscribers to Socitm Insight. Others may purchase the publication for £75 from www.socitm.gov.uk 

Press copies of the report can be requested from the Socitm press office. Call (0)845 094 5641.

Further information
Vicky Sargent, Socitm Press Office
Tel: 07726 601 139 e-mail: vicky.sargent@socitm.net 
Martin Greenwood, Programme Manager, Socitm Insight 
Tel: 01926 498703 or 07967 383755 e-mail: martin.greenwood@socitm.net