Blogs have entered the mainstream, especially within the enterprise. Despite their usefulness as a means of collaboration and communication, they pose liability risks of which every enterprise should be aware. Closely monitor corporate blogging to mitigate these risks.

The Social Networking Revolution

Many enterprises are blogging, or plan to blog in the near future. A blog is a Web site where users post entries recorded in chronological order. A wiki is a collaborative Web site where all authorized users can edit content. Both of these forms of social networking tools are gaining acceptance in the enterprise.

The popularity of blogs and wikis is rising because they represent an inexpensive, informal method for employees to correspond with colleagues, customers, suppliers, and business partners. Internal corporate blogs are often used for knowledge sharing, internal communications, project management, and team management. External blogs are used for building brand recognition, demonstrating thought leadership, and gathering often-elusive customer feedback.