SMALL BUSINESS

Social networking sites have been on a steady climb in terms of popularity. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and others are not only being used for entertainment and personal pleasure, but also as avenues for marketing and increased exposure within the business world. Although such sites provide an excellent medium to connect with others, they can also present adverse effects, as a recent study by Panda Security has revealed.

 

On Wednesday, Panda Security released its new study titled "Social Media Risk Index for Small to Medium Sized Businesses." The study focused on how social media use by employees within the workplace has affected businesses. The study surveyed 315 small and medium businesses within the month of July. Each of the businesses had a workforce of 1,000 employees or less.

 

In a revelation that's not surprising, the study found that employee productivity loss was the most widespread effect among businesses, with just over 38 percent claiming it had occurred. Coming in second was malware or virus infection caused by social media, which struck 33 percent of the businesses interviewed. Privacy violations resulting in sensitive loss of data affected 23 percent, while 28 percent cited no effects from social media within their work environment. Network performance and utilization problems interrupted 19 percent, and 17 percent experienced reputation damage. Only 8 percent of businesses surveyed cited that they were unsure of any effects.