Comments on: ‘Want a job? What’s your Facebook password?’

By: SS

SS — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:12:39 +0000

Just a (rather late) FYI for those of you who are outraged that companies would check Facebook:

Facebook sells the right to look at parts of your pages to certain companies, including potential employers.

That said, I do think it’s a violation of privacy to ask for the prospective employees’ login information and passwords, as well as a poor hiring practice that could come back to bite Bozeman in the butt. Personally, I would never provide them to any prospective employer, as anyone who is that nosy is not someone I would want to work for.

By: DB

DB — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:53:25 +0000

Employers are being advised to monitor the neccessity of contacting employees via email or phone after work hours, or expecting employees to contact customers or handle work problems from home. This has implications of overtime and infringement on employees free time. That being said how can an employer want to monitor your personal time and not expect a lawsuit?

By: Your Password Please « hrwhiz.com

Your Password Please « hrwhiz.com — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:33:10 +0000

[...] here to read an interesting article by HR Morning on the city of Bozeman’s (Montana) hiring practice [...]

By: Randy

Randy — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:23:14 +0000

All social networking sites allow their users to determine the level of access the general public has to their specific personal information. For example, on my Facebook page, only people I approve as friends have access to read comments I make, look at my photos or see the name of my employer. We do not discourage our employees from using social networking sites, but we do make it clear that if they list us as their employer and their profiles are open for public viewing then they will be held accountable as a representative of the company. If they do not list us as their employer or they limit access to only their friends, then it generally isn’t a concern to us. In other words if your facebook can be viewed by anyone and you list us as your employer, we had better not see a picture of you dancing topless on a bar. I would say asking for your login information goes over the line, and further demonstrates a lack of understanding of these technologies. There are ways of allowing your employees a life outside of work, while still protecting the best interests of the company and it’s brand. Companies need to find ways to use these new technologies as a tool, and not as weapons as in this case.

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:06:08 +0000

Rick, I don’t think I have anything to hide on my FB page but I also don’t want to give anyone my password on FB – anyone. Bozeman stepped over the privacy line. My freinds don’t have full access to my profile and neither will my employers. They can ask me for character references and discipline me if I come to work hung over. I don’t party until the wee hours and then go to work but I don’t think my boss needs to see what I do with my personal time. If I am a public servant and it is relevant to my job that my moral characrter be veted more closely, I will invite my boss as a freind to view my posts. I don’t have much in my profile so allow access to that too. Most jobs don’t require this type of check.

By: Dana

Dana — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:27:13 +0000

Tom be very careful – not subscribing to online social networks doesn’t protect you – nothing keeps another person from posting a picture or commentary about you that could emerge if your name was googled. If the applicant provides their facebook or linked-in page as a part of their resume then the links and pages provided are fair game. However going out and googling information does not guarantee that the candidate you are considering actually created the page that comes up. All you need is a few pictures and some basic info to create a page about anyone you choose.

Boseman crossed the line – information exchange on facebook is communication between friend or a network of trusted people. (Some users trust a whole lot of people with very personal information??) The information isn’t always reliable and may not be relevant to the job and serve to bias decision makers.

By: Lajeli

Lajeli — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:14:23 +0000

It cannot be ok to access information electronically that you are not allowed to ask face-to-face in an interview. I don’t kow about 1st amendmend rights or privacy laws?? No one is prevented from saying what they think and if I voluntarily post something on Facebook I might have waived some privacy rights…???
I think it is more of an EEO issue but the end result is that there is information posted on facebook that is considered completely off-limits in a hiring decision and once the employer has access to that information, it is his/her burden to prove s/he didn’t use it to make the hiring decision.

I would never put my company at risk of that type of lawsuit. Bottom line is that it’s not ok!

LinkedIn type sites are different becuase they were designed for this purpose and therefore do not allow access to off-limits information. Facebbok, Myspace, the social sites…a BIG no-no!

By: LB

LB — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:02:43 +0000

I agree with you DR. I couldn’t have said it any better myself.

By: Hmmm

Hmmm — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:47:48 +0000

I agree with the others who feel as though they have nothing to hide but do not want to give out their info. It seems to be amateur voyeurism at best. I am on Facebook and I NEVER post negative employee/employer comments (I am in HR). Nor would I post negative spouse/friend etc. comments on my page. If you hire someone who does, they are going to be doing something else that will be a red flag… My rule on Facebook is the same as dealing with people face to face…think before you speak (post).

By: Dr. AG

Dr. AG — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:28:46 +0000

This policy should and will be tested as totally groundless and a violation of appplicant’s privacy, and 1st ammendment rights. If a “FACEBOOKER” has an opinion on abortion, politics, or even a favorite sports team, can this not shade the opinion of the hiring authority. You cannot ask age, if people have children, sexual orientation, married or not, or other personal questions when hiring. If Bozeman makes providing these usernames and passwords a condition of employment, they risk serious litigation. I am not familiar with state law Montana, but Federal law will support the employee’s right. A reasonable and equal hiring practice of background checks for credit, driving, criminal and education will give a total picture of the person’s qualities. Also a pre-employment physical asa condition of hiring after a conditional offer has been made with a drug test and bona fide occupatiional physical testing (e.g. climbing a ladder for a firefighter, lifiting 50 lbs. for a laborer), will also define the final candidate.
I sit here watching the employee’s attoprneys lining up.
What are they thinking?