Chapter 7 - Electronic Messages and Digital Media

Electronic messages and digital media are not unfamiliar things for us, especially when we live in business world. I believe that we have already known and understood electronic messages commonly used, such as electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, podcasts, blogs, wikis, and social networking (Facebook, MySpace, Classmates.com, and LinkedIn).

In this chapter, I will not discuss how to use those electronic messages. Instead, I will focus on pros and cons of instant messaging and text.

Everything certainly generates pros and cons, so do the use of instant messaging and text messaging. Some people state that it may be useful for business; while the others argue that it may be dangerous for business.

Here are some pros of instant messaging and text.

• Instant Messaging (IM) allows people to share information immediately and make decisions quickly.
• Texting can be a low-cost substitute for voice calls.
•  Messaging avoids phone tag and eliminates the downtime associated with personal telephone conversations.
• Both IM and text enable users to get answer quickly and allow multitasking.

Despite its popularity among workers, IM and text causes cons; Some organizations forbid employees t use them based on these several reasons:

• Organizations fear that privileged information and company records will be revealed through public instant messaging systems.
• Companies worry about phishing (fraudulent) schemes, viruses, malware (malicious software programs), and spim (IM spam).
• Companies fear that business track and store messaging conversations need to comply with legal requirement.

Electronic messages seem dangerous, aren’t they?

Suppose that the subject of instant and text messages you have sent are subject to discovery or disclosure. These can become evidence in lawsuit. What do you think?

The existence of electronic messages and digital media cannot be avoided. You just need to use electronic media professionally. Below are Dos and Don’ts of using electronic media professionally.

Dos: Know Workplace Policies and Avoid Private Use of Media at Work.

ü  Learn your company’s rules.

ü  Avoid or minimize sending personal e-mail, IM messages, or texts from work.

ü  Separate work and personal data.

Dos: Treat All Online Speech as Public and Protect Your Computer

ü  Be careful when blogging, tweeting, or posting in social networking sites.

ü  Keep your virus and malicious software protection current.

ü  Pick strong passwords and vary them.

ü  Keep sensitive information private.

Don’ts: Avoid Questionable Content, Personal Documents, and File Sharing

ü  Don’t send, download, print, or exhibit pornography, sexually explicit jokes, or inappropriate screen savers.

ü  Don’t open attachments sent by e-mail.

ü  Don’t download free software and utilities to company.

ü  Don’t store your music library and photos on a company machine, and don’t watch streaming videos.

ü  Don’t share files and avoid file-sharing servi[ces.