U.S. companies asking job applicants for Facebook passwords?

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

https://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/international/article/194698--u-s-companies-ask-for-job-applicants-facebook-passwords

In an increasingly competitive job market, how much would you tell a prospective employer?

Some U.S. companies are asking job applicants for their Facebook username and password, not satisfied with the information that can be found in a public profile, The Associated Press is reporting.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has intervened in some cases, including one involving a corrections officer.

The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services asked Robert Collins for his password during a recertification interview.  Collins told the ACLU the interviewer read the postings of his family and friends.

"We live in a time when national security is the highest priority, but it must be delicately balanced with personal privacy," he said.

"My fellow officers and I should not have to allow the government to view our personal Facebook posts and those of our friends, just to keep our jobs."

The agency amended its policy after the ACLU complained, asking applicants to log in during the interview.

Companies that ask for passwords may be trying to circumvent Facebook’s privacy settings, which users control to determine which information is public and private to be shared with family and friends. 

"Under our terms, only the holder of the email address and password is considered the Facebook account owner.  We also prohibit anyone from soliciting the login information or accessing an account belonging to someone else," a Facebook spokesperson told CityNews.

Even if applicants aren’t asked for their passwords, prospective employers still want to know what you’re doing online. According to The Associated Press, applicants have been asked to “friend” human resource managers on Facebook or to log in to a company computer during an interview.

And if your application is successful, The Associated Press reported, “some workers have been required to sign non-disparagement agreements that ban them from talking negatively about an employer on social media.”

I'm Canadian, so I don't know if it's happening here. Seriously? Password? That's bullshit. Thoughts?

[Orbert]

No fucking way do they get mine.  I'll tell them I don't have a Facebook account.  If they want to go as far as to find me, check the pictures, and say "Oh yeah, what's this?" then they can call me a liar.  If they do, fuck 'em, I won't work for them.

I know, easy to say since I have a job right now.  If I were unemployed and they were the only ones offerring me a job, I might feel differently, but probably not.  No, I have absolutely nothing in my account that's illegal or that I'm even ashamed of, but it's the principle.  My private life is exactly that, and I share it with who I choose, not anyone else.

[Chino]

This is absolutely rediculous.

[rumborak]

It's private companies, it's alright.

rumborak

[snapple]

It's their right to ask, but you shouldn't be forced to give it. However, if you opt to not give a password and something damning comes out, they should be able to consider your contract void or something.

[rumborak]

How is their right to ask? Is it also their right to ask your bank account password?

rumborak

[orcus116]

Seriously. I don't feel it's in my best interest to work for a company that is that interested in my private life.

[juice]

This is just wrong.  It's an invasion of privacy if it's required.

[PowerSlave]

How is their right to ask? Is it also their right to ask your bank account password?

rumborak

Some won't hire you unless you have a checking account for direct deposit. Why wouldn't they feel like they can do this next? Some will say that it's just for the companies convenience but, it really goes beyond that. It's a way to monitor you.

If they can't do it now then they'll find a way to do it in the future.

[Scheavo]

How is their right to ask? Is it also their right to ask your bank account password?

rumborak

Some won't hire you unless you have a checking account for direct deposit. Why wouldn't they feel like they can do this next? Some will say that it's just for the companies convenience but, it really goes beyond that. It's a way to monitor you.

If they can't do it now then they'll find a way to do it in the future.

I can't believe you're comparing pay methods to just snooping for private information. Requiring direct deposits is an administrative efficiency policy.

And honestly, a way to monitor you, is for ou to simply have a Facebook account and use it.

[Rathma]

I'd give them my password.

In fact, I'll just post it here. It's: iamactuallyattemptingtousethispasswordbecauseiamafaggotcunt

[Ħ]

It's private companies, it's alright.

rumborak

I think you said this in jest, but I actually agree with this. Anything goes when it comes to contracts between two parties, IMO.

[rumborak]

When it comes to buying candy corn I would agree. Problem with employment is that the other side of the equation is people's livelihood, and that invites abuse from the company's side that needs to be protected against.

rumborak

[BlobVanDam]

What an invasion of privacy. A FB profile is none of their business. This is the kind of stuff interviews are for. My FB settings doesn't let people see shit (actually, I do have my 3D work public, but that's easily changed), and I don't even have a photo of me as a profile pic, so I'd just say I don't have a FB account.
No way would I hand over account details like that to someone, especially for something like this.

[Orbert]

They may have the right to ask, but they're idiots for doing it.  There will be highly qualified applicants who simply refuse to do it.  They're not asking to know who you are on Facebook; they're asking for your password.  Whether or not you have anything to "hide" is irelevant.  There's no way that your employer needs the ability to log into a private account you have on a private system, and they are simply causing themselves to miss out on potentially very good employees.  Instead, they will get a disproportionate amount of applicants who are desperate enough to just give it to them.

[pogoowner]

Something else to think about... would this not also be an invasion of your Facebook friends' privacy?

[yeshaberto]

this seems silly to me.  surely it isn't more than a few obscure employers trying to push the limits of their current value in the job market.
I would at least be willing to friend them since I understand that they want to verify my integrity, but giving a password seems senseless and crosses the line

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

this seems silly to me.  surely it isn't more than a few obscure employers trying to push the limits of their current value in the job market.
I would at least be willing to friend them since I understand that they want to verify my integrity, but giving a password seems senseless and crosses the line

Pretty much this. I understand them looking at you and stuff, but why would there be any need to give your password? Go through your private message inbox? That's just silly.

[Sigz]

1) It's against Facebook's TOS to give away your login information. Any company that demands you break a contractual agreement as part of their employment policy isn't worth working for.

2) My facebook is, in large part, an email account. I have literally years worth of private conversations with some of my best friends in the world through facebook - for my friends in the UK it's my main source of communication. Embarrassing party photos or whatever aside, there is no way in the world I am giving someone access to that.

3) All my passwords are randomly generated and accessed through keepass, which means that to give them access to my facebook would mean to give them access to my checking/savings accounts, credit card information, and email (and thus by extension my entire internet presence).  If they require that as terms of employment, they can go fuck themselves.

[Super Dude]

At least they're not asking for my DTF password.





But seriously, that's fucked up.

[Dr. DTVT]

Just because one company asked for a PW doesn't mean it's happening routinely.  I'm sure its an isolated incident and not the norm.

I'd just walk out of the interview if that happened.

[Ben_Jamin]

I wouldn't give them my password but will let them view the page if I log in. As when your hired you represent the company and using Facebook to talk smack is dumb and immature, just complain to the boss or leave.

[jsem]

I wouldn't have a problem because I don't have FB. If I did though, no way would an employer get my password. No reason to be employed there.

[Scheavo]

Some people won't hire you if you don't have a FB. They'll think you're lying, or otherwise.

[Cool Chris]

Some people won't hire you if you don't have a FB. They'll think you're lying, or otherwise.

... otherwise, what? That we honestly don't have a fb account and are, thus, unhireable because they can't check up on us??

[Scheavo]

Some people won't hire you if you don't have a FB. They'll think you're lying, or otherwise.

... otherwise, what? That we honestly don't have a fb account and are, thus, unhireable because they can't check up on us??

I dunno, something undesirable?  But maybe you're anti-social, or some other stupid assumption. Not really sure what they're motive is. Maybe more employers contact through Facebook, which might be the only valid reason I could think of, and it's been true for a while that you need a phone number to really get a job.

[jsem]

If Facebook becomes one of those things needed to get a job, I'm in serious trouble

[Orbert]

Man, I knew it was getting bigger and more popular, but I can't see it literally becoming required in order to land a job.

Also, some people have more than one Facebook account.  They're tied to email addresses, so if you've got multiple email addresses, you can have multiple Facebook accounts.  Set up a "decoy" one with some family pictures and Disneyland vacation pictures and give that to your prospective employer.  Keep the "real" one with the S&M orgy drug pictures separate.  Problem solved.

[Scheavo]

Man, I knew it was getting bigger and more popular, but I can't see it literally becoming required in order to land a job.

Also, some people have more than one Facebook account.  They're tied to email addresses, so if you've got multiple email addresses, you can have multiple Facebook accounts.  Set up a "decoy" one with some family pictures and Disneyland vacation pictures and give that to your prospective employer.  Keep the "real" one with the S&M orgy drug pictures separate.  Problem solved.

That wouldn't work for me. My first and last name are unique, so I really don't have to give anyone my account name, becuase they'll be able to find me so easily anyways.

[PowerSlave]

How is their right to ask? Is it also their right to ask your bank account password?

rumborak

Some won't hire you unless you have a checking account for direct deposit. Why wouldn't they feel like they can do this next? Some will say that it's just for the companies convenience but, it really goes beyond that. It's a way to monitor you.

If they can't do it now then they'll find a way to do it in the future.

I can't believe you're comparing pay methods to just snooping for private information. Requiring direct deposits is an administrative efficiency policy.

And honestly, a way to monitor you, is for ou to simply have a Facebook account and use it.

You're under the assumption that just having the account and using is enough? Then why do they want the password? Or, am I misunderstanding your statement?

And yes, I believe that some people will take any step possible to be able to exersize power over others. Infact, I believe that it's naive to think otherwise.

[Scheavo]

You're under the assumption that just having the account and using is enough? Then why do they want the password? Or, am I misunderstanding your statement?

I don't see why them wanting more information disqualifies the information they already have.

[Gadough]

1) It's against Facebook's TOS to give away your login information. Any company that demands you break a contractual agreement as part of their employment policy isn't worth working for.

This is really all that needs to be said.

[Nick]

The first time I get asked about this is right about when I go ahead and just make a 2nd account. Only people I'll be friends with are a few people, and I'll just post about how I love corporate America.

[kirksnosehair]

Strongly against it, personally.  My company has 140 employees, just about every one of them has a Facebook account and I know for a fact that they all access Facebook frequently from work, but my boss and I both agree that we don't have any problem with them doing so and we don't have any interest whatsoever in looking at their pages.  People need to be able to have personal lives outside of work.

[El Barto]

They have every right to ask.  You have every right to tell them no dice.  Seems fair enough to me. 

Has anybody considered the possibility that maybe they're looking to see which applicants are stupid enough to do it?

Orbert's made the most cromulent point to date.  It's the crappy applicants that'll fork it over.  The sharp ones will tell you what to go do to yourself.

People are getting up in arms about information they make readily available to the public.  Here's an idea.  Don't post videos of you swilling Jack Daniels and molesting the neighbor's cat on the internet. 

Can't facebook accounts be nuked?  If it's not possible to pull the plug on the thing then you shouldn't be doing it.