More Uses of Social Networking Software

About a month ago, Agnes Caruso posted some thoughts about potential uses of facebook at work. A few days ago, I came across a story with another novel use: public health. The Globe and Mail reported that Toronto Public Health officials used Facebook to locate a woman who had been bitten by a rabid bat. Apparently the phone book, the police, and the media had failed. Even Google, whose “mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful” couldn’t find her. But Facebook came through.

In an amusing twist, the article notes: “Employees of the City of Toronto are barred from using Facebook at work. Ms. Crapper had to get special dispensation to use it.”

Social networking sites are also fighting crime these days. The Vancouver Sun is reporting that a stolen laptop has been posting pictures to a Flickr account. Apparently the computer was set up to upload pictures to Flickr automatically. One of these photos is a picture of a man – the thief himself? – labelled “me”.

The police are investigating all leads. Maybe Facebook could help?