Potential employers now asking applicants for Facebook password. Good idea or not?

That makes me want to delete my facebook account.

Here's to hoping no potential employer ever finds out a way to check my LRC postings. I'm ashamed to admit that The MonBRO Doctrine has occasionally posted under other names, and said postings have not always been the witty repartee and insightful analysis that you all have come to expect from postings under that moniker.

I wouldn't want to work for any employer who makes outrageous demands like that. Want my Facebook password? I don't want to work for you. That simple.

Rational Economics wrote:

I wouldn't want to work for any employer who makes outrageous demands like that. Want my Facebook password? I don't want to work for you. That simple.

Agreed. They'll have to settle for less, I'm not giving up my privacy for some HR slob.

Rational Economics wrote:

I wouldn't want to work for any employer who makes outrageous demands like that. Want my Facebook password? I don't want to work for you. That simple.

My thoughts exactly. I would have to be in a real bad financial situation to give my FB password just to get a job. And I don't even use FB that often and I am confident nothing negative would be found.

They should list the employers that ask this. I would be willing to not give these companies my business.

joho wrote:

They should list the employers that ask this. I would be willing to not give these companies my business.

Why? Just cause they might ask an employee for their password? Can you elaborate?

There is a good reason I don't have facebook. If your boss really wanted to get into your facebook, she/she would find a way to. Trust me. From what I've been told by people that use fb to "research" people, they have their ways. Insurance companies have used fb to prove that people lied about ailments, the law has used fb as evidence in court to convict people, and yes, people have been fired for what they posted on fb. It is not private and people put stupid things up on it.

This kind of thing will stop pretty soon. In fact, I would bet the bank it is illegal. A potential employer cannot ask to see the trunk of your car, your bedroom closet, etc.

If you say yes, you have agreed to it. I have no idea why anyone would say yes to this egregious invasion of privacy. My employer would never ask for this, and I feel sorry for people who have to work for companies that do these things.

It is like the SOPA issue. People just do not understand Social Media. Could an employer require you to live with a camera watching your every move? No. They cannot require you to do this either. As it stands, no laws are in place. The first time someone fights this, it will fall.

Lizzleton, CO wrote:

A potential employer cannot ask to see the trunk of your car, your bedroom closet, etc.

They can ask you to pee in a cup and have somebody watch you while you do so. I don't believe asking the question is illegal.

I'm on you side on this issue, I'm just sayin. Like another poster mentioned, this is yet another reason I do not have a facebook page.

FB is public. So they are not doing anything illegal

Be very careful what you display in public. Common sense.

But but even Facebook tells me to NEVER GIVE OUT MY PASSWORD on their website.

http://www.facebook.com/help/security/tips

I know... wrote:

There is a good reason I don't have facebook. If your boss really wanted to get into your facebook, she/she would find a way to. Trust me. From what I've been told by people that use fb to "research" people, they have their ways.

If they do this then they are committing a federal felony, punishable by something like up to 5 years in a federal penitentiary.

random a hole wrote:

Lizzleton, CO wrote:

A potential employer cannot ask to see the trunk of your car, your bedroom closet, etc.

They can ask you to pee in a cup and have somebody watch you while you do so. I don't believe asking the question is illegal.

I'm on you side on this issue, I'm just sayin. Like another poster mentioned, this is yet another reason I do not have a facebook page.

I'm pretty sure its illegal. They can drug test you becase doing drugs is illegal. Facebook isnt illegal. You arent allowed to ask someones religion, sexual orientation, by no means would you be allowed to ask their password to private accounts.

Employers are allowed to look at facebooks because that is all public information, but private information is a no go, unless it pertains to the nature of the business.

Dog treats. wrote:

I'm pretty sure its illegal. They can drug test you becase doing drugs is illegal.

they can drug test you because they have a policy of no drugs. legality is immaterial. There are "no smoking" companies that test for cigarettes. If you smoke, you are fired (because it raises health insurance costs).

Lyndon LaRouche wrote:

FB is public. So they are not doing anything illegal

Be very careful what you display in public. Common sense.

Define "public".

Lyndon LaRouche wrote:

they can drug test you because they have a policy of no drugs. legality is immaterial. There are "no smoking" companies that test for cigarettes. If you smoke, you are fired (because it raises health insurance costs).

Which is complete bull.

I guarantee those "no smoking" companies are full of large women who eat their candy bars and twinkies and chips during the day and get mcdonald's at lunch all while drinking a diet coke. Can't say anything to them about health costs now can we?

the hurricane wrote:

Lyndon LaRouche wrote:

they can drug test you because they have a policy of no drugs. legality is immaterial. There are "no smoking" companies that test for cigarettes. If you smoke, you are fired (because it raises health insurance costs).

Which is complete bull.

I guarantee those "no smoking" companies are full of large women who eat their candy bars and twinkies and chips during the day and get mcdonald's at lunch all while drinking a diet coke. Can't say anything to them about health costs now can we?

I just heard a news program on NPR about this and they cannot fire you for smoking, actually. They cannot even falt-out not hire you. They can defer hiring for 90 days while offering a cessation class. If the job is still open in 90 days, they have to hire you (presuming you were offered the job).

They cannot fire you for smoking once hired UNLESS you smoke on the job. Even then, it has to be a repeated offense, etc.

Not so cut and dry.

Also, smart folks, researching someone's PUBLIC Facebook profile is much different than asking for their private password. a person's Facebook profile has private material and public material, much like a person's life OFFLINE. You choose what is public and you choose what is private.

I have no problem with a company looking at someone's Facebook profile and deciding not to hire them based on what it contains. I do have a HUGE problem with a company presuming they have the right to know passwords so that they can access private information like personal emails, private photographs and financial information.

This is egregious, and the only people who do not think so are those who either do not understand Facebook or do not understand what is being required here.

Would you let a potential employer have access to your personal email account? No. This is no different.

Wow, I never knew that so many people didn't know basic things about Facebook. I am not sure how anybody can defend this practice. Like the guy above me, I think it is totally fair to weed people out using Facebook, but you have to do it on the public side. Legal or not, it is preposterous to think that they have that right.

Funny thing is that during my last job search, I was contacted by numerous potential employers through Facebook. If one had asked for my login information, they would have had access to my conversations with other potential employers. That would have been awkward.

I work in the marketing & PR industry, so most agencies understand how these platforms work.

Honestly, I do not think this is really happening at very many companies. I think this is a sensational story that gets people riled up.

I agree that once people understand the platform, they would not see this as reasonable. There are plenty of private uses related to facebook that are similar to email, phone, etc.

They're in big trouble if their pool of job applicants is made up of 17-year old girls and stay-at-home moms.