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LJN NewslettersNewsSectionsThe Corporate Counselor

Blogging and the Workplace

BY Philip L. Gordon
July 27, 2006

You may not know about it, but it is happening: At least one, and probably more, of your business' employees has entered the 'blogosphere.' The world of blogs, or interactive diaries posted on the Internet, has expanded exponentially over the past 3 years, and 'bloggers' cannot seem to resist the urge to talk about their jobs. These sometimes quasi-journalistic postings raise a host of concerns for employers, such as protecting a hard-won public image, safeguarding confidential information, and preventing defamation of managers and co-workers. Such concerns arise because blogs can reach millions of readers long before the employer even learns about the posting. No laws specifically regulate 'blogging,' and there is virtually no case law to provide guidance. Consequently, employers need to look elsewhere for guidance on the balance between their employees' interest in having a life away from work and ensuring that employees' activities in the blogosphere do not damage business interests ' a blogging policy.

Blogging on the Rise

The number of Internet users who either post their own blogs or read other blogs online has risen into the millions. According to a December 2004 study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, the number of U.S. adult Internet users who created a blog doubled to more than 8 million in just over 2 years. In addition, 27% of adult users, or more than 30 million people, read blogs. Technorati.com, a blog-tracking site, counted more than 38 million blogs on the Internet as of mid-May 2006.

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