On Friday, we asked ‘are social networks stifling workplace productivity?’  There are a number of new studies to suggest they are indeed.

Today, I’d like to turn this question on its head. Is it possible social networks are a force for good? Can they teach us all, particularly the younger generations, how to vet and build a network of competent connections? Can they rally citizens to be more active in their communities? Can they make our politicians and police more accountable? What about companies? Can they educate and motivate us about issues half-way across the world (there are over 400,000 Facebook members still piling in to support Burmese monks in their struggles against the oppressive military junta, a story that has all but vanished from the newspapers)? If we were to rate Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Flickr, Bebo, etc. today, would they get a passing grade?

This was the subject of The New York Times’ Freakonomics blog in which it asked:

Has social networking technology (blog-friendly phones, Facebook,
Twitter, etc.) made us better or worse off as a society, either from an
economic, psychological, or sociological perspective?

While there is concern that social networks are devaluing the true meaning of a "friend" and that these forums can easily spread gossip, innuendo and misinformation as quickly as they can legitimate information, there is overwhelming support for these forums among the academics, researchers and industry observers they quote.

As Nicole Ellison, a professor at University of Michigan says:

Yes, there have been cases in which students have shown poor judgment
regarding their profile disclosures. However, tools that enable us to
engage in online self-presentation and connect with others will be
increasingly part of our social and professional landscape, as social
network sites continue to be embraced by businesses, non-profits, civic
groups, and political organizations that value the connections these
tools support. IBM, for instance, has created an internal social
network site, “Beehive,” to encourage more collaboration and communication across teams. In India, Babajob
harnesses social networking tools to pair employers with those who seek
work. We will continue to see these trends grow as social networking
features are employed for fun, profit, and social good.

Fun, profit and social good. Is there a company out there that does not want to encourage such a lofty set of goals among its employees?