Rather than ban blogging without permission, a better policy for any corporation might be to ban anonymous blogging. It's amazing how using one's real name tends to moderate what is said.

mixed feelings here -

on the one hand, an employer should have every right to make rules for employees to follow. if you don't like the rules, work elsewhere.

on the other hand, while a private employer is not the government and therefore can't "infringe" your right to free speech by making rules like this, the reality is that if too many employers do it, you have had your free speech rights taken away by virtue of the fact that you can't earn a living if you can't keep your job, and you can't keep your job if you exercise free speech.

I think the "best" rule is that employers should make no rules about allowing blogging or not, but should also make it perfectly clear to employees that if blogging results in making the company look bad (ie, in your blogging you combine telling the world who you work for and making yourself look like a dumbass), you may be terminated.

If only the Portland Fire Bureau would adopt a similar policy. ;)