Social Media and Truth
In my opinion, social media allows people to get the news
they’re interested in; the capability to retrieve information from social media
feeds means that news is now customizable.
Today I read an article about the growing trend of organizations using telework
as an option for employees via the social media site LinkedIn. The article “Coming to a Couch Near You: A
New Wave of Telecommuting” detailed the efforts of the company Automatic and
their 230 employees that are able to telecommute and as a result, are located
across 170 cities. As a government employee with strict requirements for core working hours and work locations, this is hard to imagine. Currently telecommuting is a rare option for my office but there is a new interest for this initiative in the future. The idea of working
remotely is something I’m interested in, but I have not yet seen become a regular routine in my organization’s work culture.
Author, Todd Wasserman, provides an argument that the use of telecommuting can help a company employ people who are the best fit for the job, regardless of their location. Wasserman also provides examples of the opposite opinion, companies that want employees together in the same office because of security concerns and team building. The companies he used for comparison include Apple, Google, and Yahoo. As someone who hopes to explore the idea of working for a technology or communications company, I found this article interesting because it gave me perspective about growing trends in emerging and powerful companies. Over the past two years of my membership with the site, I've been able to get career advice and follow specific issues and organizations that interest me. Social media sites can be reliable for information, especially when there is a niche subject matter that is not broadcast on mainstream media outlets or an interest of the general public. What is important to remember when gathering information from social media however, is to verify all presented information and continue to adjudicate the sources. Finding legitimate news online can be rewarding and there is a large amount of accurate information with instant access. What is important to remember is that finding information is just the first step; everything requires the responsibility to verify the messages. While I enjoyed the article I read, I can still go to individual companies’ websites and read about their policies, along with conducting my own research on telecommuting.
Author, Todd Wasserman, provides an argument that the use of telecommuting can help a company employ people who are the best fit for the job, regardless of their location. Wasserman also provides examples of the opposite opinion, companies that want employees together in the same office because of security concerns and team building. The companies he used for comparison include Apple, Google, and Yahoo. As someone who hopes to explore the idea of working for a technology or communications company, I found this article interesting because it gave me perspective about growing trends in emerging and powerful companies. Over the past two years of my membership with the site, I've been able to get career advice and follow specific issues and organizations that interest me. Social media sites can be reliable for information, especially when there is a niche subject matter that is not broadcast on mainstream media outlets or an interest of the general public. What is important to remember when gathering information from social media however, is to verify all presented information and continue to adjudicate the sources. Finding legitimate news online can be rewarding and there is a large amount of accurate information with instant access. What is important to remember is that finding information is just the first step; everything requires the responsibility to verify the messages. While I enjoyed the article I read, I can still go to individual companies’ websites and read about their policies, along with conducting my own research on telecommuting.
Wasserman, T.
(2014, April 10). Coming to a couch near you: A new wave of telecommuting. Mashable,
Hi Ashley,
ReplyDeletePersonally, I currently use telecommuting certain days for my job. I have the flexibility to work from home when I want. I know multiple individuals who work for the federal government here in DC who are also being given this option. Certain departments are utilizing this as an option to decrease overhead expenses (less desks needed, downsizing office space) and promote a more flexible work environment. It is also a great idea to find a legitimate news source online. As a rule of thumb, I always remain a skeptic until proven otherwise.
Thank you for your insight!