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Google your name? Sure. Get Facebook or email login info? No way. People have the right to keep their social lives private, and separate from their professional lives.
Maybe I do? I am gay and want to choose who knows that. I don't advertise my orientation in the professional arena but I am open about who I'm dating in my social life. Having something to hide doesn't always mean it's bad. Sometimes people are just protecting themselves from unfair but nevertheless legal (in many states) discrimination.
Before the Internet, people had the right to keep their social and professional lives separate. I don't think the just cause we have the means now, that makes it okay to essentially stalk people's private lives.
An employer could use Facebook to bar out Black employees, and they wouldn't have to mention anything about it. They could take one look at someone's profile picture and decide that person is too ugly. And that discrimination would be completely off-record because the employer would just never contact the candidate again. There are just too many opportunities for "off the record" discrimination.
I wouldn't say they have a right to ask such things. But can they ask? Sure. I'd be amazed if even one person, even in this economy, would be a big enough idiot to actually give away their password. I mean seriously, you'd have to be a monumental sucker to do so. Then they wouldn't hire you anyway for having no spine whatsoever. And who in their right mind would want to work for anyone who wants that kind of control over you? Oh yeah, a monument sucker, that's who.
Or they could assume you have some big bad secret when you just have boundaries and consequently not hire you. It could be used as something to hold over your head. "Oh you're not willing to bend over for Uncle Sam? Too bad, no employment opportunities for you."
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nimchimpsky
Maybe I do? I am gay and want to choose who knows that. I don't advertise my orientation in the professional arena but I am open about who I'm dating in my social life. Having something to hide doesn't always mean it's bad. Sometimes people are just protecting themselves from unfair but nevertheless legal (in many states) discrimination.
Before the Internet, people had the right to keep their social and professional lives separate. I don't think the just cause we have the means now, that makes it okay to essentially stalk people's private lives.
An employer could use Facebook to bar out Black employees, and they wouldn't have to mention anything about it. They could take one look at someone's profile picture and decide that person is too ugly. And that discrimination would be completely off-record because the employer would just never contact the candidate again. There are just too many opportunities for "off the record" discrimination.
If an employer wants to discriminate they will, and they will see you when you show up for an interview so what difference does it make if they see your picture on the internet first? I don't think that getting an applicant's password is needed, though, since in most cases we can find a lot about a person on the internet without it anyway, especially now with smartphone
metadata. When it comes to discrimination, the standard "we chose someone that was better qualified" or even "we decided to go with someone else" is hard to use in court as grounds for a lawsuit. No law requires any more explanation for not selecting someone.
My profile on Facebook is entirely private. You cannot find it in search.
Regardless, I would not want to work for a company that would be intrusive enough to ask for my login to Facebook OR email. If I were asked for those, I would decline, and end the interview.
They should absolutely have the right to ask. And everyone would have the right to decline.
Its up to the individual to decide how important is it to let people know they got wasted the previous night or that they are taking a dump right now. If they would rather do that and have it possibly come back to bite them when competing against other prospective employees then that is on them.
I created an account right after I graduated college in 2005. I havent posted anything on my wall or comments on anyone else's in years now. I do keep it active in order to get in touch with people I may need/want to but I cant believe some of the things people put on there.
I would give my password to a potential employer but there is nothing there for them to see really.
Then again, what jobs are asking for this? If its McDonalds, they can go screw themselves. If its for a CEO position for a large corp I would have no problem giving them that info.
They have no "right" to ask for those things. Where do you get such ideas?
They should have the right to ask. You have the right to decline. They should NOT have the right to force.
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