Validity of Study...

It has been a hot topic in the blogosphere over the last couple of days. The National School Boards Association has released a study (pdf) funded by Microsoft and Verizon, that states...

"The internet isn't as dangerous as people think, and teachers should let students use social networks at school"

You can read more about this study by clicking on the above link. Many bloggers feel as I feel. Is this study valid? Microsoft and Verizon funded the study. I know that it is a start in the right direction, but I want to play devils advocate at the moment. What do you think the other side will say?

It sounds a little like this...
Having Exxon fund a study on oil refinement benefits or...
Halliburton getting all the major reconstruction bids in a war torn Iraq...


Microsoft and Verizon stand to gain billions of dollars from school systems embracing social networking.
I tend to play my games fair, I don't enjoy having a debt with anyone, and I sure would love to see a valid study that shows the benefits of web 2.0 practices in our school systems. I know that there are many benefits... I see it first hand in my classroom. It's not people like us that need convincing. Maybe we should start inviting our congressmen into our classrooms. Maybe a study funded by a third party that doesn't have their hands tied down by one of these billion dollar corporations is what we need. I don't know what the answer is.

The fact of the matter is this...
You can read the study up and down, agree with every small fact that is put on the table, get excited about the changes that might happen, and even blog about the benefits of the study. All the study's credentials were snuffed out the window when I saw the names of the funding companies at the bottom of the page. An exchange of money was involved somewhere.