• Reuters, Friday, August 3, 2007 11 AM

Facebook has expanded beyond its college roots since Mark Zuckerberg and company decided to open membership and software development to any and all comers. As a result, the social network's fastest growing demographic is those over 25, many are working professionals using the site at their jobs. In fact, Reuters says there are already "thousands of business networks and communities" for them to choose from.

Is this a good or bad thing? Good, certainly, if you're in the Web business. Bad, perhaps, if you're simply whittling away the hours looking for something to keep yourself occupied. Indeed, there are benefits and pitfalls to social networking at work. However, some companies have banned Facebook from the workplace. According to a recent poll commissioned by Britain's Evening Standard, two-thirds of London businesses have banned social networking sites.

USC professor Jerald Jellison says it's a bad move. "We're human beings. We socialize. It's going to go on whether you allow it or not." He adds that instead of shunning social networks, businesses should embrace them because of the potential benefits, which include better communication, sharing resources more easily and increased productivity.

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