Staff blogs may face an overhaul

Scoble's departure from Microsoft may encourage firms to review web blog policies

The exit of Microsoft blogger Robert Scoble may encourage firms to review employee weblogs.

Last week’s announcement that Scoble would leave Microsoft for a job at a podcasting network caused widespread speculation that Microsoft had tired of his outspoken views or that Scoble felt poorly recompensed for his role as the self-described “human face” of the software giant. Scoble used his blog to comment, sometimes critically, on Microsoft strategies and issues.

Though advocates of blogging say staff such as Scoble can help employers reach more customers, experts disagree on the benefits. “I’d say the Scoble affair would make managers slightly less likely to encourage staff to blog on behalf of the firm,” said IT business blogger Nicholas G Carr. “I think Scoble came off as a loose cannon and few firms relish the thought of loose cannons going off in public.”