It's everywhere! There is no escape!!

It looks like old dogs and young pups will both need to learn a few new tricks!

For those who thought they could avoid joining the more than 400 million residents of Planet Facebook, abandon all hope. Social media — complete with Facebook-like status updates, profile pages and networks of social connections — is coming to your office cubicle.

The SiliconValley.com "First Edition" had a short note and link to the original article: "Facebook-like status updates coming to the office" 

The article includes info on Lotus Connections, Sharepoint 2010 and Socialtext. Maybe the larger companies can work out a few kinks in the privacy and security issues with Facebook, Twitter and other less business oriented social software programs. While it is entirely optional, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS has social networking - broadcast and chat accounts - baked into the OS with access from the top level menus. The fact that social networking is included in all installations of this important long-term-support release speaks to how popular the Ubuntu developers think social networking has already become.
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Updated - While business and other organizations move in the direction of social media, The New York Times has an article on the implications of social media on children:

The question on researchers’ minds is whether all that texting, instant messaging and online social networking allows children to become more connected and supportive of their friends — or whether the quality of their interactions is being diminished without the intimacy and emotional give and take of regular, extended face-to-face time.

What are the implications of more and more electronic communications between children? They obviously have some impact on relationships. Do social networks and texting potentially slow the development of social skills in children? Does this new means of communicating between friends help shy students come out of their shell? For the April 30th article with references to distinguished authors and books on the topic see: "Antisocial Networking?" by Hilary Stout.
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In either case, I wasn't overwhelmed with Facebook when I tried it a while back. On the surface it allowed a friend's visit to China to be quickly and easily shared with friends from halfway around the world.  Technology always looks good until you can find and evaluate all the hidden costs. Actually I abandoned ship during the first round of Facebook privacy concerns, so I haven't rejoined the revolution... yet. But those of you who are (still) actively working with large organizations - corporations, non-profits, schools or voluntary associations - may find yourself needing to know more about this growing phenomenon from a business and a professional standpoint. I hope the articles will help and keep looking for those hidden costs.