The businessman at the back of the room wasn’t that happy. When I asked an audience of business owners if any of them had used social networking one man at the back put up his hand: “I tried it once but it didn’t do me any good,” he said. In

How good to see a “major think tank” so up-to-date with thinking….! According to Demos “Bosses should embrace Facebook“. Apparently, says Demos, it could be counter productive to stop staff using Facebook. Now, forgive me a moment while I blow my own trumpet – but isn’t that exactly what I

Wayne Forrester, a 34-year-old lorry driver was from Croydon was jailed for life today after admitting that he killed his wife, Emma. In mitigation he claimed that it was what Emma wrote on Facebook that drove him to his actions. The result is instant headlines like “Facebook killer jailed for

There appears to be something of a competitive spirit in online social networks. It’s fostered by the fact that Facebook, LinkedIn and Ecademy (amongst others) reveal how many “friends” or “connections” you have. The theory is that you must be worth knowing if you have more connections and friends. Now,

Ask most advertisers and they’ll tell you they are really trying to reach people around 25-35 years old. Why? Well, they are the people with most disposable income and most likely to spend money. True enough, it does depend on the product you are selling – few young people are

Two new studies suggest that businesses need to be doing more on social networks. Indeed, most businesses appear to be ignoring social networks, believing them to be the preserve of students. However, a study by the brand strategy consultancy Cone has found that a whopping 93% of people want businesses

Women are natural social networkers; indeed the stereotype of “chatty” women (false as it is) suggests that the world of social networking is a natural place for women to go online. And you wouldn’t be wrong. A new analysis of more than 50 million social networking members shows that women

Friends are people we share common interests with, who have the same values and morals, who cheer us up when we are down and who truly understand us. At least that’s what we would like to think. However, new research from psychologists in Leipzig shows that friendships are actually down

People gravitate towards people like themselves. We all love people like us; anyone who is a bit different we tend to shy away from. It’s the same online – we tend to “hang out” in groups and clubs in places like Facebook and Ecademy where the people we meet are

Some people are avid social networkers and build up huge numbers of “connections” and “friends” online. Take a look at Thomas Power, the Chairman of Ecademy, for instance. He has over 15,000 contacts in Ecademy and almost as many in LinkedIn. Does he really know all those people? If you

A new report for the recruitment industry reveals a massive increase in the number of companies that are banning the use of Facebook at work. The survey shows that seven out of ten companies now have banning orders in place to prevent their staff from using Facebook. That’s double the