If someone is talking behind your back, then you are unaware of what is being said. That idea came to mind after reading an article by Jim Edwards, Why Pharma Fears Social Networking. The Internet provides a great communication channel and everyone can get involved. Perhaps their lawyers may be concerned about pharmaceutical companies encouraging conversations in social media, but they will happen anyway. The companies can either be participants or they can merely be the objects of the discussion. Before the Internet, some would encourage such companies to hide in a trench until the noise died down. That is no longer an option.
These social media are somewhat of a challenge to all big companies. That is why it was interesting to see the BlogWell seminar on How Big Companies Use Social Media. There are many factors for a company to consider, not least The Ethics of Disclosure as Mike McGrath points out. However the Internet genie will not be going back in the bottle, so companies must learn how best to behave in this new environment.
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