SiliconBeat

As if merging companies isn’t enough of a pain. Now executives have to worry about employees running amok with their company blogs and all that Web 2.0 stuff.

Case in point: BEA Systems (ticker:BEAS) and its deal with Oracle (ticker:ORCL). After an on-again, off-again courtship, Oracle announced earlier this month it was buying BEA for $19.375 per share.

Naturally, this has prompted all sorts of anxiety-producing questions in the minds of BEA employees. (Does being assimilated hurt? Will Larry invite me to that big Japanese pad of his? Am I required to understand the finer points of really big sail boat races?)

As companies do, BEA issued employees a helpful memo answering their most pressing questions and marked it “confidential.” And then it filed that Q&A with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday.

Among the burning questions that are apparently on the minds of BEA employees: ”Are there any restrictions on blogs or other communications?”

BEA’s response:

“BEA blogs must not discuss Oracle or the proposed merger in any way. If a third party posts a message related to this topic, please respond that the purpose of the blog is to discuss BEA products and technology trends, and that the blog cannot be used to discuss Oracle or the proposed merger. Similarly if a BEA employee blogs on non-BEA sponsored sites, the proposed merger with Oracle is off limits for discussion. All proposed communications to a broad internal or external audience requires the approval of the BEA integration team.”

Will an army of BEA bloggers stage a revolt to defend their liberties? Stay tuned…