Chapter 1: Instant Messaging Is Used by Someone in Nearly Every U.S. Company

Overview

IM Rule # 3: Assume that your employees are already using instant messaging—without your knowledge, authorization, rules, or policies.

Instant messaging is quickly replacing e-mail as the electronic communications tool of choice in offices worldwide. Already used by over 100 million people globally, ^[1] IM will be used more often than e-mail by 2005.^[2]

According to a 2002 survey, in the United States, 42 percent of companies already use or plan to use IM, ^[3] with 70 percent of organizations expected to use it by the end of 2003—whether the boss knows it or not! ^[4] Business will account for half of the estimated 530 million IM users projected to be online by 2006.^[5]

^[1]TimMcDonald, ‘‘InstantMessaging Enterprise Security Ramps Up,’’ NewsFactor Network (May 31, 2002). See also Nancy Flynn and Randolph Kahn, Esq., E-Mail Rules, New York, AMACOM, 2003.

^[2]Ibid.

^[3]Ibid.

^[4]Frank Thorsberg, ‘‘Is IM a Sieve for Corporate Secrets?’’ PCWorld.com (July 19, 2002). See also Nancy Flynn and Randolph Kahn, Esq., E-Mail Rules, New York, AMACOM, 2003.

^[5]Ibid.