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Structenggal
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Potential Employers and Facebook
Structenggal
member
On the radio yesterday they were talking about how employers (current and future) are really looking at employee's social media pages on the web and firing/not hiring if there is questionable content on there. They even went so far as to say that at job interviews some potential employers are requiring you to disclose your social media usernames AND passwords.
Am I the only one that would have a huge problem with this and that requiring passwords is a bit much? Check out my facebook page all you want. I'll even friend you if it's a requirement and I REALLY need the job, but no, you can't have my password. No future employer needs access to my private messages and contacts/etc. What's next? require the password to my personal e-mail?
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Re: Potential Employers and Facebook
Honestly, I wouldn't want to work for an employer that demanded my password for Facebook or other social media sites.
Plus, it doesn't sound legal.... And even if it is, I certainly don't think it's ethical or appropriate.
Besides, what if your potential new boss has some dark, creepy skeletons in his closet? Shouldn't you be allowed, as a candidate, the same opportunity for due diligence on the company and people you may be working with? Something tells me a potential employer asking for your info would balk at the reverse request. And that would be all the info I'd need to say "thank you for your time" and walk out.
Mama's Clone - 07/18/12
Photo by Zemya Photography
Ok, so I have taught sections of courses on this for HS classes and at my college for other students to understand what this is about and why it is done and how far it can be taken. I have also written a couple articles (published in non-general public papers) about this.
Here is what I will touch on briefly: legal aspects, social aspects, and other
1. Legally speaking
This is a really bad idea for companies to do. There IS case law on this topic, quite a bit actually, that is all new. The consensus seems to be that companies unless given specific authority (due to legal government requirements and background checks for specified security level positions) should not be doing this. Here is why:
a. Having access to a person's site like this opens them up to discrimination and retaliation suits.
- when they have access to see PRIOR to highering you this kind of information they are seeing age, race, sexual orientation, and medical. All things are completely illegal for them to use in regard to hiring (and in some states firing of current employees).
b. Having password access is even a big no no for government security clearance positions. They are to ask you to log in for them on their computer so they can view the site while you are present. They are entitled to view incoming and outgoing messages. Non-permission giving companies require your consent to access this and if you choose to not give it they are not allowed to make that the cause for your not being hired. I THINK (my mind is spacing) this can fall under HIPPA violations due to what I stated in a.
Social aspects
If you have material on the web that you would not want an employer to see, you shouldn't have it on the web. They in theory can access it and if you are posting pictures of yourself on the beach when you phoned in sick, there is case law that does not support you in getting back or keeping your job. If it is that you have images of yourself passed out or flipping off the camera, etc. Those are considered inflammatory and are just stupid to have online but so far there is no case law (I believe there are a couple cases currently being seen on this topic).
Other
There is a belief that your online self is not your real self when in fact it is. When you represent yourself online with pictures and your own words you are painting a picture of who you are and allowing others to judge you for what you put out there. So really consider how you want to be represented to prospect employers who might google you.
I am not 100% up to date one current cases and cases finished within the last 3-6 months since I have been so busy but if you crave more info I can check it out for you.
Ultimately...No I would never give my password to anyone, that is a complete violation because you might use that password for other sites and they should not be checking in on your activity without your knowledge. You also should not be using these sites at work since there is case law against that.
Money Matters The other half's blog.
EJ is growing up too fast!
Really, REALLY well said, K.
With the above, I want to get on my soap-box (again). Do NOT use the same password on different sites. You are opening yourself up to a whole lot of pain. That Zappos email that just went out the other day? Yeah, congrats, if your password is reverse engineered, people could try the same username (your eail address) on other sites (say FB/amazon) and the same password and cause more havoc. This is why phishing scams are so dangerous. So use a different password. If you're lazy and don't want to remember multiple passwords, fine -- come up with a base password, and add something at the end (or beginning) of every site so that you only have to remember those pre/suffixes. Keep your password hard for others to guess. Do NOT share your password with your friends or family ... even if you trust them a lot.
Ok off soap-box.
Photo by Zemya Photography