Employers ask job seekers for Facebook passwords

[sugarfree irony]

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/17196848...book-passwords

In their efforts to vet applicants, some companies and government agencies are going beyond merely glancing at a person's social networking profiles and instead asking to log in as the user to have a look around.

"It's akin to requiring someone's house keys," said Orin Kerr, a George Washington University law professor and former federal prosecutor who calls it "an egregious privacy violation."

Until last year, the city of Bozeman, Mont., had a long-standing policy of asking job applicants for passwords to their email addresses, social-networking websites and other online accounts.

And since 2006, the McLean County, Ill., sheriff's office has been one of several Illinois sheriff's departments that ask applicants to sign into social media sites to be screened.

Chief Deputy Rusty Thomas defended the practice, saying applicants have a right to refuse. But no one has ever done so. Thomas said that "speaks well of the people we have apply."

When asked what sort of material would jeopardize job prospects, Thomas said "it depends on the situation" but could include "inappropriate pictures or relationships with people who are underage, illegal behavior."

In Spotsylvania County, Va., the sheriff's department asks applicants to friend background investigators for jobs at the 911 dispatch center and for law enforcement positions.

"In the past, we've talked to friends and neighbors, but a lot of times we found that applicants interact more through social media sites than they do with real friends," said Capt. Mike Harvey. "Their virtual friends will know more about them than a person living 30 yards away from them."

What do you guys think about this ?

I'm not sure how effective it would be in finding the dirt on future employees , because it is easy to set up a face book account that does not mention your real name . Simply turn the privacy settings to high and lie about having a facebook page .

On the other hand if they are not smart enough ( or devious enough ) to do that face book pages can be revealing . Depending on what the user shares . I'm not sure how all the crime stuff on mine would go over with a future employee .

[AngelFire]

I don't give a fuck how appealing the job is, my privacy is important to me. No way would I give up my password. I don't let my husband have my password. Why would I do that for a random person??

[Jerri Blank]

I don't give a fuck how appealing the job is, my privacy is important to me. No way would I give up my password. I don't let my husband have my password. Why would I do that for a random person??

I agree and my husband and I are the same. We have separate e-mails, facebooks, and so on and we don't have each others passwords. People are entitled to some privacy and I think employers who feel they have that right to dig around in your social network pages are out of line.

Even if they asked me to hand over my phone to read my texts and call my contacts i'd tell them to fuck off.

[MichaelJCheaney]

I see this as not only a HUGE privacy invasion, but also job security for the HR dept.

Because IMO they appear to be looking for reasons NOT to hire certain individuals by screening their facebook and Social Media contacts.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

I don't put anything on my accounts that I don't want the world to see. If I'm going to hide something about my life, the LAST place I'm going to put it is on the internet. I would give my password to a prospective employer. It would reveal a lot less than a background check, drivers license check, or contacting job and personal references that many employers already do.

I also know every password for every account of my husband's. Partly because he's the most un-computer-savy person you'll ever meet and I've set up the few he has (and do most of the posting/emailing for him too). He knows where the passwords are to every personal account I have. If he's so untrusting of me that he feels the need to check-up on me or I am hiding stuff from him, there is something seriously wrong with our relationship.

[Rockin Ma]

I would not want my employer to see mine. I often search people at work and bring their posts to his attention. Sometimes we see posts and he's like WTF? I'm like "if only you saw my wall" he tried. He can't. I helped him change his settings because he was wide open.

[AngelFire]

I don't put anything on my accounts that I don't want the world to see. If I'm going to hide something about my life, the LAST place I'm going to put it is on the internet. I would give my password to a prospective employer. It would reveal a lot less than a background check, drivers license check, or contacting job and personal references that many employers already do.

I also know every password for every account of my husband's. Partly because he's the most un-computer-savy person you'll ever meet and I've set up the few he has (and do most of the posting/emailing for him too). He knows where the passwords are to every personal account I have. If he's so untrusting of me that he feels the need to check-up on me or I am hiding stuff from him, there is something seriously wrong with our relationship.

I don't have anything that I would be mortified for the world to see. I am boring as all fuck, But I do go ape shit and rant away talking shit about my boss, his momma and ancestors. I just feel there is a professional life and then there is your personal life. I think I am good at what I do. But what if I like to drink like a fish, which I don't but what if I did? Would that make me a bad employee? Or if I am a sex crazed maniac, how does that change how I am at work? I find this to be a huge invasion of privacy. I wouldn't do it and would be annoyed at anyone that would ask for it.

Although I do get what you are saying, I just find it to be intrusive. What's wrong with a background check, or drug test?

I know all of my husband's passwords too and for the same reasons as you, he is no pc person. Has he ever asked me for mine? No, he doesn't care one bit. I have never been a cheater, a hussy or anything that would worry him. I am just a loud mouth.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

I don't have anything that I would be mortified for the world to see. I am boring as all fuck, But I do go ape shit and rant away talking shit about my boss, his momma and ancestors. I just feel there is a professional life and then there is your personal life. I think I am good at what I do. But what if I like to drink like a fish, which I don't but what if I did? Would that make me a bad employee? Or if I am a sex crazed maniac, how does that change how I am at work? I find this to be a huge invasion of privacy. I wouldn't do it and would be annoyed at anyone that would ask for it.

I think it all boils down to the job you are seeking and how bad you want it. If someone can't keep their mouth shut on the public venue of Facebook*, then I probably wouldn't want to hire them for certain positions. Just like I wouldn't hire them if they couldn't keep their mouth shut over the old fashioned venue of the "back fence".

It' so damned easy to sanitize your Facebook before heading out for an important interview. Only the stupid people are going to get caught and who wants to hire stupid people? Change your password after you have the job and drink and whore and bad-mouth the boss all you want. Just don't let any of it endanger your job... because it is far from unheard of for people to lose a job or get sued for loose lips on Facebook.


*anyone that thinks Facebook and other internet activity is a private arena is delusional. It can be a permanent record and even if you delete crap, it can be recovered or screen shot before deletion.

[Rockin Ma]

I know all of my husband's passwords too and for the same reasons as you, he is no pc person. Has he ever asked me for mine? No, he doesn't care one bit. I have never been a cheater, a hussy or anything that would worry him. I am just a loud mouth.

Me too. I'm not even sure he can turn it on by himself. I have a password book. It's a mini 5 star-like notebook with 4 sections for each of us and it's kept out in the open. The only passwords that aren't in there are my main email because it's linked to a site that I use to restrict my kid's access to websites.

[AngelFire]

My Facebook can be seen by my boss because we have it linked to my work FB. But I am not stupid enough to rant and not block my work FB from it. I still find it an invasion of privacy

[LadyCygnet]

I wouldn't give up my password. I don't have a thing in the world to hide, but handing over my password feels like having to submit to the psychological equivalent of a strip search.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

What's wrong with a background check, or drug test?

Absolutely nothing for certain positions. But also, many jobs require references. Many employers will often use their own contacts and resources (not listed by a prospective employee) to get a bigger picture of someone.

I once went thorugh an 8 hour interview with a company (ever try eating lunch while interviewing? LOL). In addition to all the rigamarole that that entailed, they contacted people that I did not list as references but that they had personal & professional relationships with that also knew me. They also contacted teachers at my school where I had graduated a couple years before. I have no clue who else they talked to but those folks were kind enough to tell me about the contact. I DID get the job and totally understand why they checked "outside the box".

I wasn't offended or felt they were invading my privacy... they have a business to protect. If I had disagreed with their tactics, I would have never submitted to such a rigourous process or accepted the job.

[62julietandvoid]

I don't usually put anything on my accounts for the same reason I don't keep a diary. But still, the nosiness (only because they wanna bitch) is beyond tolerable. We can't take a shit without someone wanting to sniff it or pick through it for something edible. Get off our fucking ass.

My maternal granny had a bad habit of coming over to "clean" or "tidy up". Mom finally said to her mother, (and this is from the Ozbornes, Kelly to Sharon) "Don't go looking through things(not sic) because you're going to find something and then you're going to be mad."

Some people need to just fuck off and quit thinking they kind find EVERYTHING by going through our lives. Like wanting to listen in on our calls. I'm sure lots do, as have I at just the right spot but I don't give a shit if it ain't hurting no one or nothing else.

[sugarfree irony]

*anyone that thinks Facebook and other internet activity is a private arena is delusional. It can be a permanent record and even if you delete crap, it can be recovered or screen shot before deletion.

Yeah I never think of anything I do online as private . Anything can be hacked. I had it happen a long time ago on myspace a friend ( well a person on my friend list ) hacked my myspace messages not the posts on the wall but messages to other members .

[TheMorningStar]

If you explained that you think FB is a waste of time so you don't have an account, would they automatically think you are lying just to cover your ass?

[Tundratot]

This sounds like another horror visited upon the average worker for very little return. I have a fairly boring FB, not really anything to fear an employer finding there, but I don't think they have a right to go there. Especially to ask my password. It would be one thing to look at it after I opened it for them, but they have no need to have my password. None.

I do indulge my political humor there. They don't need to know what my affiliation is. I share the occasional photo. I don't care if they see it. I have "friends" on FB I have nowhere else -- they wouldn't know much about me except that we share an affinity for the same breed of dog. An employer does not need to know which games I play while on FB.

I also don't link my FB to this site and this identity. I say things here that I don't say anywhere else. While I don't really have any shame for what I say here, but I don't want my occasional foul language and, again, any of my political leanings or more explicit torture fantasies (of the soulless, scum-sucking, subhuman, sub-mammalian child abusing perpetrators here) to make it to the ears of some employer who believes they have a right to pass judgment on my thoughts. Since corporations are people, all I need is to have said corporation decide that all their employees have to have the same political leanings they espouse.

This is where I let my hair down. That's not public viewing. (You all should be so glad I hate PC cameras.)

[Dakota Valkyrie]

If you explained that you think FB is a waste of time so you don't have an account, would they automatically think you are lying just to cover your ass?

Probably not as there are many that think that way. Although if they discover differently, you better hope you are in good standing.

[Rockin Ma]

I think they may TMS. I am convinced a guy in connection with my job just doesn't want us to have his cell phone number. I keep saying he HAS GOT TO HAVE ONE! Who the heck don't? I refuse to accept it's possible he don't have a cell phone.

[TheMorningStar]

LOL - I had a giant cell phone for a couple years in the early 90's when nobody had one. I didn't get another cell phone until 2010.

[sugarfree irony]

I do indulge my political humor there. They don't need to know what my affiliation is. I share the occasional photo. I don't care if they see it. I have "friends" on FB I have nowhere else -- they wouldn't know much about me except that we share an affinity for the same breed of dog. An employer does not need to know which games I play while on FB.

I wonder how much they look not just at your face book , but your friends on face book . I've got about four pagans ( witches ) on my friend list . Which probably is not a big deal in many parts of the country , but in my area its " the devil worship " panic . I'm just wondering if they are stopping at your face book page or digging into all the pages linked to yours . So if your recipe pal is into S&M are they going to think you are too ?

[AngelFire]

I makes sense that depending on the position this would be understandable. I just think of the everyday worker.

Oh and I checked my FB and as I suspected, boring.

[Rockin Ma]

I am no where near the same person in real life like the one I play at work. My FB is pretty mild. At times I do say things, that if you don't know me, could construe it a horrible way. A person is a person. There's no way of telling if they "get" your humor. What about someone posting "Happy Birthday you Filthy Whore" and I "like" it. Does that make me a filthy whore? Maybe in real life :) but not in the office!

[Dakota Valkyrie]

I often search people at work and bring their posts to his attention. Sometimes we see posts and he's like WTF? I'm like "if only you saw my wall" he tried. He can't..

Rockin', you know I love you, BUT if you engaged in such surreptitious tattletaling on me, I would view it as a FAR more egregious violation of privacy than a prospective employer asking for my password to get a snapshot of "right now". Activity such as this is exactly why prospective employers want to see people want to post on their FB. Why invite problems? (Not necessarily YOUR posts... but that of prspectives in respect to their current situations).

[malq]

If you explained that you think FB is a waste of time so you don't have an account, would they automatically think you are lying just to cover your ass?

I am probably one of the few people who has a face book with no clue as to my identity other than the name Malq. It's not that I like creeping around as an alter ego, but I don't want my life in writing. I also don't want to be like my cousin who posts something witty like I am eating Cheetos. For that she gets thanks and 9 replies, all which she thanks. Pretty silly actually. If you could just keep it to a cordial family portrait setting, then all would be fine. But it is never fine. There will always be someone who will make it so you can't separate your homelife from work.

So yeah I would be able to say facebook who?, with a straight face.

[malq]

What do you guys think about this ?

I'm not sure how effective it would be in finding the dirt on future employees , because it is easy to set up a face book account that does not mention your real name . Simply turn the privacy settings to high and lie about having a facebook page .

On the other hand if they are not smart enough ( or devious enough ) to do that face book pages can be revealing . Depending on what the user shares . I'm not sure how all the crime stuff on mine would go over with a future employee .

I think employers are crossing the line wanting to peek into what is a virtually an online eavesdropping of your life. Even if you are not posting anything that betrays your character, the creepy factor is still there. This is almost like them inviting themselves over for dinner to meet the family and friends. I could understand if you were entering a highly sensitive field where they might want to go up your ass with a microscope. Most jobs do not meet the qualifications to expect that level of knowledge about you.

As far as them knowing your crime postings, here or elsewhere, I just say I am a true crime buff. That's what this site is and more:/

[Dakota Valkyrie]

So yeah I would be able to say facebook who?, with a straight face.

That's because we're old school.

No Lie! Your Facebook Profile Is the Real You

“On the Internet,” one dog tells another in a classic New Yorker cartoon, “nobody knows you’re a dog.”

The internet is notorious for its digital dens of deception. But on Facebook, what you see tends to be what you get — at least in one study of tailless, two-legged young adults.

College-age users of Facebook in the United States and a similar social networking site in Germany typically present accurate versions of their personalities in online profiles, says psychologist Mitja Back of Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. People use online social networking sites to express who they really are rather than idealized versions of themselves, Back and his colleagues conclude in an upcoming Psychological Science.
[..]

See more if you give a shit: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/20...-the-real-you/

I have kids that grew up on the internet. Some of them are original "colleges only" pioneers of FB. Most of my grand kids know no different way of life than the digital way. Just because I don't partake of it to its full advantage does not mean it's any less of a tool ... or that any of it's users are any less of a "tool".

The folks that I know intimately on FB really do reveal themselves there. They may not "tell all" but rarely are the putting on a front. I personally don't post much on FB but when I do, they are things I truly think about before posting... even if it's just about the weather. It's the real me - such as it is.

[Robynne]

My problem with giving an employer my password and full access to my FB is that my private messages are private for a reason, I would have no problem adding them so they could see what I post, but if I send a private message to someone through Facebook, obviously it's something that I would like to keep between me and the other contact.

[TheMorningStar]

I don't think its relegated only to the old school not to drink the Kool-Aid

[Dakota Valkyrie]

I don't think its relegated only to the old school not to drink the Kool-Aid

Old school way: The kid across the street from us joined the Navy. One day a couple of guys with credentials showed up on our doorstep asking all kinds of questions. Seems the kid was going for some sort of top secret clearance. They asked all kinds of personal questions about him. We answered truthfully. My husband regularly has to fill out questions about our 6 kids, his 9 siblings, and my 16 siblings in order to keep his not-nearly-as-secret clearance job of fixing air conditioners.

In the private sector, it's not burger flipping jobs that they are asking for FB account checking on. It may not even be top secret jobs, but if an employer doesn't want to protect his business, why the hell would you want to work for them?

If you don't want to give out the password, don't. Just the same as you are free to not submit to a background check, do a drug test. or give out personal references. Plenty of jobs don't request such things.

[TheMorningStar]

Missed my point - I know plenty of talented young programmers who wouldn't touch FB with a 10 foot pole. I wouldn't classify them as "old school".