Webinar Wire

Web Conferencing In The Time Of Cholera

Posted by Ken Molay April 28 2009 4:10 PM EST

1 comment

Well, it's started. The first few press releases are already out from web conferencing vendors keying off the current swine flu media coverage.

Please, people, a little restraint. There are many good reasons to encourage the use of web conferencing in both personal and business applications. But riding on the coattails of panic and fear does not help society.

Yes, I know that several government agencies have started to suggest curtailing travel as a response to flu outbreaks. Government bodies often want to be seen as doing something to show that they are responsible and proactive. This can lead to silly knee-jerk policies that do nothing to help the actual problem. For instance, quite a few countries have implemented restrictions or bans on pork product imports... Even though people cannot get the flu by eating pork or pork products. You'll be seeing more of these kinds of  reactions falling under the label of "Do something - Anything!"

Now is not the time to spread additional fear and business paralysis by suggesting that we have to stay locked in our homes, afraid to go to work in protection of our health and safety.

Web conferencing is a great technology that offers many easily quantifiable benefits. Convenience, cost savings, environmental impact, reduction in lost time, easier access to diverse areas and populations are all powerful arguments. Why don't we hold off on forced isolationism as a benefit until it becomes an unavoidable necessity?