Staff at the Department for Work and Pensions in the UK have been reportedly banned from accessing social networking site Facebook.
According to a report by the Press Association (PA), the government has said that civil servants would be allowed to access only certain social networking sites.
The report said that civil servants could still log on to Twitter and LinkedIn. It said that staff at the Department for Work and Pensions have been barred from using social networking websites from their office computers.
Employment Minister Chris Grayling said, "Access to some internet sites from departmental computers is restricted or blocked. This includes Facebook."
Grayling added, "The department recognises social media is a valuable tool for engaging with jobseekers and partners."
"All staff have access to LinkedIn and Twitter for business use and the department actively uses social networking to communicate with customers."
However, Grayling said communications workers could use Facebook if their roles "involve use of social media."
In a similar development, Germany’s consumer protection minister Ilse Aigner has said that a legal review has found that Facebook should not be used by ministers to promote their work.
According to an AP report, Aigner cited data security concerns for her objections.
"After an intensive legal review, I have concluded that it is crucial to ensure that the Facebook button is not used on any of our official government websites," she said.
She said ministries and members of parliament should "set a good example and give data protection its due," according to the report.
