Job seekers getting asked for Facebook passwords

1. 61

   paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago

   "When Justin Bassett interviewed for a new job, he expected the usual questions about experience and references. So he was astonished when the interviewer asked for something else: his Facebook username and password..."
   
   http://finance.yahoo.com/news/job-seeke … 51682.html

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   1. 77

      aguasilverposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That MUST be against any number of laws, if it's not, then it should be.
      
      But of course if I were desperately wanting a job, that would be a sign that if I refused, I would not get the job.
      
      But if they wanted that degree of control over my life, I would not want it no matter how desperate I was, and if I really did want the job enough, I would close my FB account just to deny them the access.
      
      BTW if any employer looked at my FB account they would reject me instantly... too much stuff they would not like.

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   2. 91

      molometerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That is just wrong on so many levels.
      
      What right has an employer to this information? None.
      
      If asked for this kind of information.
      
      I would refer them to them to my rear, as I stood up and left.
      
      I would not work for a company that was this intrusive.

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2. 94

   CMHypnoposted 13 years ago

   It's a total privacy violation.  Employers don't own you, and everyone has a right to keep their home and social life private and separate.

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   1. 61

      paradigmsearchposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Agreed.
      
      And it's going to get worse.

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      1. 94

         CMHypnoposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         The trouble is that it is actually a way of controlling the way people live their lives. If employers feel that they have a right to know about every little detail of your life, many people will feel constrained to live in a certain way.  It used to be that as long as you did your job properly and did not bring the company into disrepute, what went on out of office hours was none of their business.

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3. 67

   relacheposted 13 years ago

   Yet another reason I'm thrilled to be one of the minority who does not have a Facebook account.

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   1. 94

      CMHypnoposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      What happens when employers start to think that if you don't have a Facebook account that you have something to hide?

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      1. 0

         EmpressFelicityposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I can see that happening in the not too distant future. If it isn't happening already.

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4. 83

   WriteAngledposted 13 years ago

   How absolutely ridiculous.
   
   Yet another reason I am so pleased I went freelance.
   
   Even as a freelance working through my own company, I get clients trying to mess me around. Only today, I told one client to get lost, when they wanted me to sign an agreement which, among other things, would give them the right to come and inspect my work premises, i.e. my home!
   
   I firmly believe that it is necessary for people to stand up to this sort of c__p. If everyone refused to allow potential employers/clients to mess with their private lives, this sort of stuff would soon stop. Unfortunately, there will always be the few, who agree to anything for the sake of a few pennies.

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   1. 0

      EmpressFelicityposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Same here.
      
      I hear a lot of companies in the US also ask for interviewees' credit reports. WTF?
      
      
      
      
      
      I once had a potential client on a freelance site who tried to get me to sign a non-compete clause, imposing a two year ban on my writing anything for anyone else in the same niche as his site. I would have said a big "no" to this anyway, but what made it worse was that the niche in question was extremely broad (not so much a niche, more an aircraft hangar). So I could have lost out on lots of future clients.
      
      With regard to the Facebook thing: I too am one of the few people who don't "do" Facebook. It really irritates me when people just assume you've got an account.

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         Lisa HWposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         It's accurate about the credit-report thing, although at least one state has now had legislation introduced related to that one.  (A guy on a news "thing" on TV had been laid off for six months.  He couldn't get a job because he'd been unable to pay his bills, and his credit was damaged.)  From what I understand, though, any legislation still allows for requesting a credit report for some types of jobs (so it won't help everyone).
         
         As for the Facebook thing....   Password?   Who on Earth would give anyone their password?

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5. 59

   Hollie Thomasposted 13 years ago

   I'd like to say that this is unbelievable, although experience has taught me that it is not. The public sector, specifically, like to obtain this type of information. Not only are they able to vet potential applicants personally, they are also able to monitor their thoughts, behaviours, friends and more importantly, what is said about the agency in question; 1984 springs to mind here.
   
   I agree with Writeangled, there will always be those that are willing to take this kind of crap, however, unfortunately, it is those who are the most desperate for money and will agree to any conditions in the face of their own personal adversity.

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   1. 0

      kimberlyslyricsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      nice post +1

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6. 60

   freecampingaussieposted 13 years ago

   I use facebook as we are traveling Australia & a group of us share photos, tips on free camping + I get a lot of viewers for my hubs from the site . I also communicate with one of my daughters , so used right it is really handy .
   I wouldn't give my password to anyone tho ....

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7. 75

   UnnamedHaraldposted 13 years ago

   I got a lot of flack for fighting the drug test for work, saying it was an invasion of privacy. I was told I had the right not to work. I was accused of "union thinking" when I stood firm that 40 hours was the norm and anything over that was a "gift" to the company. I was viewed as uncooperative when I refused to give them my cell phone number so I could be contacted 24X7 (holidays included, no extra pay). My attitude was a concern. And it just keeps getting worse. Giving your Facebook password-- or even opening it for them-- is just the latest outrage. Of course, you have the option of not giving it-- this is America after all. By the way, I'm no hero-- I took the drug test.

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8. 98

   Rochelle Frankposted 13 years ago

   If a an employer requested a key to your house so they could come in and look around, would you say, "Sure, c'mon in."? What would it have to do with how you do your job?
   
   Everyone (especially non-retired people) needs to open a clean facebook account that says only minimal nice things about you.
   I have an account-- but rarely visit it or post.

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      Brenda Durhamposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Why go to the trouble of basically hiding from someone who puts forth such a wrong thing as asking for your personal password?
      I would just tell them NO.
      People need to learn that word again, seems to me.
      Just say NO.
      It will work, I bet.  And if it doesn't, sue the pants off whoever asked for the password.

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         the girlsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Agree. I will not give my password and that employer will not be my facebook friend ever either. That's my private space. And asking for my password in any personal social media is not legal too.

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      2. 98

         Rochelle Frankposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I'm not going to any trouble to hide mine-- I don't have anything to hide, and I rarely post on Facebook-- Nevertheless, I agree, just say "NO".
         If anyone is posting things there that they don't want everyone to know-- I'd say, "Why are you posting this?"
         Still, I would say that employers don't have the right to ask for it or to deny employment on the basis of being denied access.

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9. 68

   LucidDreamsposted 13 years ago

   The economy has allowed for employers to use this bad behavior. It is a disgrace! I think the Facebook thing is sort of funny though. I would love for a potential employer to see my facebook page if they really wanted. Of course I dont act like a complete freeken idiot while I on so no problem!

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10. 75

    UnnamedHaraldposted 13 years ago

    Businesses get away with things that people think are illegal all the time. You can't be stopped on the street and be told to take a drug test, but you would find yourself out of a job or be otherwise penalized if you refuse to take one on the job. You can't be penalized for being old, pregnant, a woman, a minority, etc, but, when it happens, you'd be hard-pressed to prove it. Make no mistake, the workplace has been changing for the worse for quite a while now and it is not a blip-- we are witnessing the dehumanization of the workplace. Remember when we believed that there was HOME life and THEN work? Companies are actually prepping their employees to think that there is WORK and THEN whatever is left over is home life. Employees are being told they "must step up", that they must be available 24X7 ("just on occasion, of course", until it's not). Their favorite excuse is the same one your teenager uses: "Everyone else is doing it".

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11. 76

    Mighty Momposted 13 years ago

    Outrageous.
    What's next?
    Demanding your hubber user name to get a job?
    Never!

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12. 60

    Stuart L Sextonposted 13 years ago

    I'd ask for their policy regarding this in writing, then, once I got it, I'd leave, and turn them in. There's never ever ever ever ever any reason for a potential employer to ask for one's login information on ANY site, period.

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13. 61

    amithak50posted 13 years ago

    Why they need that and They don't have any right to do so .It is against someones desire .If they are giving money for their work it does not mean they enetr into my personal life ..I will not take that job and step away

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