We have more ways of communicating with people around the world than at any other time in history, and yet incidences of loneliness, isolation and depression continue to grow. While society places high value on the freedom of individual self-expression, the fundamental desire for intimacy, connectedness and community remains powerfully strong.

Where natural or historical communities have broken down or no longer exist, the human spirit seeks new ways of making contact, connecting and developing meaningful contact. docleaf's Larry McGonnell, a qualified psychotherapist, gives us his perspectives on why social networks have become increasingly popular forms of expression. .

Read Larry's article here

Facebook- what it means for business

Facebook started as an internal social network within Harvard. It soon expanded and became a favoured virtual haunt of teenagers across the US and worldwide; perhaps it still is, although as us oldies ebrace it the younger generation are inevitably moving on to the next big thing. And yet the sheer size and usage of the site means that businesses ignore it at their peril. It can be a valuable and extremely cost effective marketing tool - and in the wrong hands it can wreak havoc for your company's reputation.

Lee Aase, a media relations manager, muses in his blog on the main uses for Facebook within the business environment - some of his ideas may surprise you - read the full article here:

Strategies for dealing with the social media

Companies and organisations have adopted different policies for managing their employees' use of social networks, and the threats that they perceive within. Some have gone to the extreme length of banning their employees from using these sites. But this too has its dangers, as law professor Michael Geist explains to the BBC.

Read the full story here:

M&S flies the reputation flag for UK

Lego, Denmark’s top rated toy company, followed closely by IKEA, Sweden’s giant retailer, are the world’s top two most respected companies for 2007, according a Reputation Institute research study.

Marks & Spencer, in 23rd place, is Britain’s only representative in the first 50 companies.

The Institute surveyed more than 60,000 consumers in 29 countries to measure the corporate reputations of 600 of the world’s largest companies.

RI is a New York research firm specialising in the field of corporate reputation management. Read more here:

Crisis Briefs

• A town in crisis? The mayor of a north-western Italian town has introduced a pay-as-you-slim scheme to help improve the health of his townsfolk. Mayor Gianluca Buonanno said men living in Varallo will receive £30 for losing 4kg in a month and women will get the same amount for shedding 3kg. As a further bonus for keeping the weight off for five months, they will get another £140. Mayor Buonanno said: "Lots of people are saying, 'I really need to lose some weight, but it's really tough.' So I thought, why don't we go on a group diet?" (PA)
  

• And finally.. a story of an unusual rescue at sea. A giant, smiling Lego man was fished out of the sea in the Dutch resort of Zandvoort on Tuesday. (Reuters)

Workers at a drinks stall rescued the 2.5-metre (8-foot) tall model with a yellow head and blue torso. "We saw something bobbing about in the sea and we decided to take it out of the water," said a stall worker. "It was a life-sized Lego toy." A woman nearby added: "I saw the Lego toy floating towards the beach from the direction of England."

The toy was later placed in front of the drinks stall.

 

We published a glossary of online crisis tools in the last edition, that was produced by Anne Sceia Klein (website) . We did not credit Anne with having created this list, and would like to apologise for any confusion caused. We continue to be grateful to all our contributors of articles, blogs and ideas for inclusion in the newsletter.