Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Employment lawData protectionLatest NewsDisciplineDiscipline and grievances

Banning access to social networking sites at work is an over-reation says TUC

by Louisa Peacock 30 Aug 2007
by Louisa Peacock 30 Aug 2007

A total ban on employees accessing Facebook, MySpace or Bebo at work is an “over-reaction”, the TUC has warned.

Instead, employers should trust staff to spend a few minutes of their lunchbreak ‘poking’ their friends or making plans for activities outside of work, setting out clear policies for using social networking sites at work, as described on the TUC worksmart website.

The warning follows news earlier this month that Facebook has been banned at Transport for London, LloydsTSB, the Metropolitan Police and Credit Suisse.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “Simply cracking down on use of new web tools like Facebook is not a sensible solution to a problem, which is only going to get bigger.

“It’s unreasonable for employers to try to stop their staff from having a life outside work, just because they can’t get their heads around the technology.”

Many employers have disciplined staff for their conduct online, including the sacking of an Argos employee for posting derogatory comments about his employer on Facebook.

But the TUC said that while employers are right to be concerned about security risks involved with using social networking sites, or damage to the reputation of the company, not enough workplaces are informing staff about what they expect in terms of personal conduct when using social networking sites.

Nor should employers be tempted to check out job applicants’ profiles on Facebook, according to Barber.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“As only a minority of potential recruits will have public profiles on social networks, using information from this source can give an unfair advantage or disadvantage to certain candidates,” he said.

Listen to the Radio Five Live debate: using Facebook at work, featuring Personnel Today‘s Work Clinic blogger, Natalie Cooper.

TUC
Louisa Peacock

previous post
Devil’s advocate: Fast-track treatments are not the answer to getting medical professionals back to work
next post
Airport operator BAA to cut up to 2,000 jobs as part of cost reduction exercise

You may also like

RAD Awards 2026 open for entries

16 Jul 2025

Sick pay reforms ‘deliver £2bn of benefits’ –...

16 Jul 2025

Ethnicity and disability pay gaps: Ready to report?...

16 Jul 2025

Trans row nurse cleared of misconduct as tribunal...

16 Jul 2025

Hugh’s Law calls for paid leave for parents...

16 Jul 2025

Inflation increases by more than expected

16 Jul 2025

Beware the unintended consequences of the NDA ban

16 Jul 2025

Number of police working second jobs doubles

15 Jul 2025

Mansion House speech: will employers’ pension contributions rise?

15 Jul 2025

University staff to strike over hybrid working curbs

15 Jul 2025

  • Empower and engage for the future: A revolution in talent development (webinar) WEBINAR | As organisations strive...Read more
  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+