So what do the 41.6% of other companies use it for? Or do they simply not disallow it?

The other companies don’t have an outright ban. I doubt if many of them actively use social networks.

Gee. “58.4% of 308 large companies interviewed by Forrester have a written policy against the use of social networks.” Reminds me of companies having a policy against using a browser 12 years ago…as employees would “waste their time.” We fear what we don’t understand. (sure people can waste their time on facebook, but this is hardly a technology problem..”

Interesting suggestions here for non-profit religious communities, such as churches and synagogues, to seek new members. Perhaps Facebook might be a place for our lovely little Conservative synagogue (in a city with great jobs and excellent quality of life) to do outreach and attract new members to relocate here. Currently, our Web site (www.soalafayette.org) isn’t attracting many people. Facebook, we might just show up there.

In the world of large corporates, I am now seeing the early signs of a downturn in interest in Facebook or other similar social software applications on the web.

They are not seen as having “corporate level strength” and large enterprises I meet are now building such capability into the functionality of their online environments behind the firewall rather treat FB as an alternative to their intranet.

Is FB a platform technology like Google or a more transient tool like My Space? Currently the jury is out on that but will we still be so fixated on FB in 12 months time. Let’s wait and see.

You can start by creating your own group on Facebook and inviting the young members of your community. Soon enough you will see their friends becoming interested in it as well. It is definitely one of the easier ways to reach out to young people.

Paul Miller – you’ve hit the nail on the head IMHO. If FB doesn’t become a platform then it will struggle to remain relevant.

As Alan Majer and I discuss here – http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2007/11/07/the-race-for-the-next-platform/ – building this next gen platform will hold the key to success for whomever does it first.