Having read LinkedIn profiles in which users list budget amounts, I have always wondered just how much information gets broadcast that an organization might not want to see in print, whether on paper or on a computer display. People do put secrets in the public view, often because they do not know better, and they can also behave in the name of a firm in a way that does not represent it in the best light.

As a reporter, I am always happy to see companies whose employees release information, whether that is good for the company or not. That is not my concern. But I also know that if that were my company, I would do everything to ensure a consistent voice and that proprietary information is not divulged unless it is supposed to be divulged.

Guidelines for behavior are always in style, even when new tools change the game. And the most effective way for firms to get the results they want is to know what message they intend to convey. And employees have to be brought into this process. If they can help in shaping the message or if they are simply given the chance to be heard, the odds are they are more likely to use social media or any other media to the organization's benefit.