FaceTime's Socialite SaaS Controls Social Media

User organizations are increasingly interested in controlling employee access to social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, not only to prevent employees wasting time on such sites but also to prevent them from posting sensitive information there. FaceTime Communications Inc. has introduced a SaaS version of its Socialite software that gives IT administrators access and content-control features for these social media sites.

With Socialite, IT can control features across the three services up to and including moderation of all postings. With this new version, users on computers outside of the office can be controlled as well. Because the software intercepts web traffic, it works with both PCs and Macs.

Stoops Freightliner-Quality Trailer, which sells tractor trailers and has seven stores in Ohio and Indiana, uses the on-premises version of FaceTime because some employees need access to social networking sites, but the company wants to control other employee access, says Mark Nelson, IT manager. Malicious applications such as Koobface convinced the company it needs to be able to protect its network while still giving access to social networking sites.

For example, the company has set up FaceTime so users can't install or play any games, which are a driving factor for malware. In addition, the company uses YouTube for its advertising, but it creates reports to let departments see which of its users might be straying away from business use.

Retaining social media exchanges is particularly important in the financial services industry, due to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Regulatory Notice 10-06, enacted in January, that requires organizations to retain records of communications related to the broker-dealer's business that are made through social media sites. The Federal Rules for Civil Procedures were also updated in late 2006 to address electronic communications.Other financial service associations that have issued similar guidelines for the use of social media are the National Futures Association and the UK's Financial Services Authority, says Sarah Carter, chief strategy officer and vice president of marketing for Facetime. The purpose is to ensure that consumers are not misled, that brokers aren't recommending stocks outside of guidelines, and that records are retained, bringing to the social networking world the same control that the printed world has had, she adds.

The advantage of FaceTime's hybrid approach, offering both SaaS and an on-premises version, is that it offers a cheaper implementation for employees working in the office but also extends to mobile employees, such as those working from home. "It's important for companies that are very distributed, and a nice advantage that a lot of vendors don't offer," says Michael Osterman, president and cofounder of Osterman Research Inc.

The SaaS version costs $12 per user per month for 100 users. On premises, with a 1u Linux hardware or virtualized appliance, the product costs $5,000 per 100 users. Despite what FaceTime describes as multiple suggestions from analysts, the company is not planning a small office/home office version at this time.