Jobseekers asked for facebook passwords

[Vicky.]

http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/social_networking_consumer/232602936/job-seekers-asked-for-facebook-passwords-debate-roars

It's the job of your dreams. Your resume was one of those selected from among hundreds submitted. You've made it through a phone screener and then several in-person interviews with key company players. You can feel it--the job is yours. Now, all you have to do is provide your Facebook password.

Would you? Should you?

An Associated Press story picked up by the Boston Globe, among many other media outlets, tells the tale of a New York statistician who was surprised when asked by a job interviewer for his Facebook user name and password. The candidate withdrew his application, saying he didn't want to work for a company that would ask for such information. But this was apparently not an isolated incident. It's common practice for companies to check out job candidates' social media presence as part of the vetting process (hence, all those recommendations about not posting compromising photos, inflammatory comments, and the like), but as more and more people utilize Facebook's privacy controls to lock down their profiles, companies are apparently asking job candidates to give up the keys to their Facebook kingdoms. More in article.

Just seen this on facebook. This is, in my opinion, ridiculous and gross invasion of privacy

Would you give up your personal details to get a job? Some will have to I guess, but this is wrong on so many levels :/

[Niamh.]

Oh I read about this on another forum, apparently they're going to be passing a law over there to stop employers from being allowed to ask for that type of information. That's such an invasion of privacy

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

not on fb cntstopme lol~

[arista]

they need a bogus 2nd account to give them.

[Marc]

http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/social_networking_consumer/232602936/job-seekers-asked-for-facebook-passwords-debate-roars

More in article.

Just seen this on facebook. This is, in my opinion, ridiculous and gross invasion of privacy

Would you give up your personal details to get a job? Some will have to I guess, but this is wrong on so many levels :/

On a quick glance, I totally agree

[Marc]

not on fb cntstopme lol~

come on fbook,we all cool cus we have it

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

imagine if they started asking for tumblrs i would be ****ed then

btw i just changed my background http://sassyterrorist.tumblr.com/ opinions? i think it just screams sassy

[Vicky.]

not on fb cntstopme lol~

then you probably wouldnt get the job because they cant snoop on you :p

[Kizzy]

I thought that already existed over here?
I've seen media reports about fb photos of teachers acting 'inappropriatly'.
And I dont think police officers are allowed a fb acc (unofficially)

[Bollo]

I don't agree with it at all, I can't see what relevance your facebook account would have to do with any job.

Having said that if it was the job of my dreams I suppose I would, I have never put anything on facebook that would incriminate me anyway and I don't really use it that often...

[Niamh.]

I thought that already existed over here?
I've seen media reports about fb photos of teachers acting 'inappropriatly'.
And I dont think police officers are allowed a fb acc (unofficially)

Well, it's one thing to want to look at your facebook page but it's quite another to ask for the password to it

[Marc]

imagine if they started asking for tumblrs i would be ****ed then

btw i just changed my background http://sassyterrorist.tumblr.com/ opinions? i think it just screams sassy

don't know whether thats more gay or less gay :laugh:

[Marc]

then you probably wouldnt get the job because they cant snoop on you :p

That's discrimination :idc:

[Jesus.]

imagine if they started asking for tumblrs i would be ****ed then

btw i just changed my background http://sassyterrorist.tumblr.com/ opinions? i think it just screams sassy

Subtle

[Bollo]

Well, it's one thing to want to look at your facebook page but it's quite another to ask for the password to it

Oh yeah, I skimmed past that bit! I wouldn't want them to have my password, I wouldn't want to give anyone my password incase it was missused, but I wouldn't mind logging in and showing them my account if it was an amazing job...

[Niamh.]

imagine if they started asking for tumblrs i would be ****ed then

btw i just changed my background http://sassyterrorist.tumblr.com/ opinions? i think it just screams sassy

It's screaming something alright.......sassy isn't the first word that popped into my head though :idc:

[Mystic Mock]

That's ridiculous,what has Facebook got to do with getting a job? also what if some psycho at the work company hacks into your Facebook account? and even more importantly what if you don't have a Facebook account? or if you don't remember your Facebook password because you haven't used it in a long time?

[Niamh.]

Oh yeah, I skimmed past that bit! I wouldn't want them to have my password, I wouldn't want to give anyone my password incase it was missused, but I wouldn't mind logging in and showing them my account if it was an amazing job...

I wouldn't want people looking through my private messages and that, not that I have anything bad in there but that's just plain nosiness and I don't know if I'd like to work for people like that on principal.

[Locke.]

I am used to female interviewers asking for my facebook anyway :idc:

[Livia]

Well, it's one thing to want to look at your facebook page but it's quite another to ask for the password to it

Exactly.

I'd be interested to find out there they'd stand with this legally in this country. Mind you, I bet some people would probably do it to get the job they wanted. My friend worked for free for a production company for a year to get it on her CV and get a job in telly.

[Niamh.]

Exactly.

I'd be interested to find out there they'd stand with this legally in this country. Mind you, I bet some people would probably do it to get the job they wanted. My friend worked for free for a production company for a year to get it on her CV and get a job in telly.

Yeah, I mean saying no would probably mean not getting the job. Here's another article about it, the one I read, it's to do with the Laws on it in America, not sure what laws would apply here or in the UK though :

http://robinbrown.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/sisko-facepalm1.jpg

Here's one quote from the article that I thought was on the money :

"Volunteering is coercion if you need a job," Andrews said.

[Iceman]

It's screaming something alright.......sassy isn't the first word that popped into my head though :idc:

:laugh2:

[Ammi]

..There have always been strict rules regarding social networking sites for school employees..and for me I think it's just safer not to have one..that way no rules will ever be broken..I think..but I'm not exactly sure..that I've heard of employees being asked for passwords....but only when there has been a serious 'doubt' in the first place.
Livia...do you have any policies for this..in your employment?

[Z]

Such an invasion of privacy. Whilst you think what you post online is okay, I imagine you suddenly change your mind when asked such a question. Sharing photos of your social life with your friends, among your friends, is totally fine - but suddenly becomes a worry if an employer wants to see your page. I wouldn't agree to that, no way.

[Angus]

I think our data protection laws would prohibit employers from trying anything similar here:idc:

[Jack_]

Ridiculous, really.

In fact I find the whole thing about universities and employers searching the internet and your Facebook for some kind of 'background' on you pretty disgusting, intrusive and pathetic. Seriously, what the **** does it have to do with anyone else what you choose to do at the weekend, what your opinions are, what kind of humour you like, etc? The answer - nothing. Nothing whatsoever. If I went out and got pissed, had some embarrassing photos of me posted on Facebook, I do not see why that should prevent me from getting a job...it's not like I'm going to turn up at work like that.

So long as a candidate is fit for the job, and works to the standard required, what they choose to get up to outside of work is the business of nobody else, unless said candidate allows it to be. Personal and online lives of employees bare no relevance to any kind of work ethic, and let's be honest, the employers themselves probably aren't alien to some 'interesting' content about them on the internet either. Humans aren't robots, and nor should we be made to be.

[Livia]

..There have always been strict rules regarding social networking sites for school employees..and for me I think it's just safer not to have one..that way no rules will ever be broken..I think..but I'm not exactly sure..that I've heard of employees being asked for passwords....but only when there has been a serious 'doubt' in the first place.
Livia...do you have any policies for this..in your employment?

Not that I'm aware of, but that doesn't mean there are no policies. It's never come up as an issue for me, it would be worth finding out though.

[Harry!]

I must admit if I found one of my employees complaing about work I wouldn't think twice in sacking them. God I HATE statuses about moaning about jobs. The worst kind. Unenployment is very high and you should be lucky to hold a job.

[Ramsay]

Ridiculous, really.

In fact I find the whole thing about universities and employers searching the internet and your Facebook for some kind of 'background' on you pretty disgusting, intrusive and pathetic. Seriously, what the **** does it have to do with anyone else what you choose to do at the weekend, what your opinions are, what kind of humour you like, etc? The answer - nothing. Nothing whatsoever. If I went out and got pissed, had some embarrassing photos of me posted on Facebook, I do not see why that should prevent me from getting a job...it's not like I'm going to turn up at work like that.

So long as a candidate is fit for the job, and works to the standard required, what they choose to get up to outside of work is the business of nobody else, unless said candidate allows it to be. Personal and online lives of employees bare no relevance to any kind of work ethic, and let's be honest, the employers themselves probably aren't alien to some 'interesting' content about them on the internet either. Humans aren't robots, and nor should we be made to be.

agreed 100%