Facebook rolled out a new messaging system this week, incorporating email, instant messages, text messages and Facebook posts, among other things. The company's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, said this "social inbox" aims to make communications simpler, more immediate and seamless, but skeptics suggest that businesses need not rush to replace their old messaging systems, CIO magazine's Kristin Burnham reports.

While many businesses maintain Facebook pages to better reach some customer segments, the social networking site is not widely viewed as an optimal space for inter- and intra-business communications. When it comes right down to it, many people don't want to mix work and non-work communications. There are also concerns that collecting all messages in one spot could create a confusing and hard-to-manage pile of correspondence, Burnham writes.

Finally, Facebook has not exactly made a name for itself when it comes to protecting users' privacy. The company insists that the new system will be secure and private data will be protected, but its track record is likely enough to dissuade businesses from sending their important communications over it.

For more:
- see Kristin Burnham's article at CIO

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