BBC - 1Xtra TX - Ban Facebook from work?


	Last updated: Wednesday 16 Apr 2008	1XTRA NEWS: THE REAL TALK OF THE STREETS

Ban Facebook from work?

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Staff should be allowed to use social networking sites like Facebook at work – even if bosses think it's timewasting, union bosses say.

The TUC's stand comes after some employers have blocked their workers' access to the sites, or told off staff for misusing the internet on company time.

But banning social networking sites is preventing people from having a life outside work, the TUC says. It wants workers to be able to log on in their lunch breaks.

Some places – like Kent County Council – have banned workers from logging on to social networking sites, and some employers' organisations say the sites should be for work use only.

Does your work allow you to log on? Would you be upset if your boss banned using Facebook or MySpace? Do your workmates spend too much time chatting to their friends? Let us know your thoughts.

Thank you for your comments. This debate is now closed. A selection of your emails is published below.

sue hill
We were able to use it, then for no reason we are no longer allowed access. I agree that we should be able to use this social network in our own time.

Andy
I work in a small office and a colleague of mine who is paid significantly more than me spends most of their time surfing the web including BBC, Barclays and Facebook whilst I am extremely busy. It is very frustrating and I believe access to such sites should be restricted to lunch breaks.

hasina
i really think you should be allowed to use facebook at your lunch break at work. what's the harm. thats your time and you should be allowed to do anything as long as it doesnt harm the working environment. I get bored at my lunch as i have no where to go, as nothing is near by. not fair...

Sesh Ikr
When the person getting paid more than you spends more time talking to her friends online than she does doing her job to the detriment of the project, you have to wonder if access is a good thing! How many of us can truly say, hand on heart, that we haven't given in to the temptation to take a sneaky peak between breaks... and maybe another. Well done all you superhuman resisters, but the rules aren't made for you are they?

Ashleigh
I think all workplaces should be allowed sites like facebook and myspace! I think both Jon and D have managed to contradict themselves entirely by publishing something on here - They obviously have nothing better to do either!!!

Brian James
Typical Managers response from Jon Stepian, thinking that workers should 'live' at work rather than having a life, no wonder half the workforce are off with depression with idiots like him running companies!

Sonj
To Jon Stepien and "D" why don't you get back to work - no time for facebook, but plenty of time to comment on it? I bet you're the kind of people that spy on your co-workers time keeping too! Why don't you use facebook - you might even get a life!

Jon Stepien
Access to all sites that are not work related should be banned. We go to work to work not socialise. If you find yourself with nothing to do between calls or whatever you do then you should be asking for more work not messing around on the internet. To even suggest allowing this a joke. So get off the net and do some WORK.

D
Shut up and do your work! Socialising is for out of works time.

LAYLA MOHMMED CARDIFF
We use to be able to look @ face book and myspace @ WORK, however the systems @ work kept crashing & WE WERE LEFT TWO DAYS WITHOUT PC'S DOING NOTHING BUT ADVISING CUSTOMERS TO CALL BACK AGAIN and as you can tell thats not so good at a bussy call centre so they baned the myspace and face book WEB sites but we still have access to the other web sites such as yourselfs & YOUTUBE on the internet which i think is rather unfair! As theirs time between calls where your stuck doing nothing BUT WAIT FOR CALLS & I'd like this changed! WHOS WITH ME