Hand Over your Facebook Password if you Want a Job!!
It seems that job seekers are being asked for their Facebook passwords as part of the interview process. Read more here.
In their efforts to scrutinise candidates, some companies and government agencies are going beyond the glance of a Facebook page and asking for passwords so that employers can log in while the interview is being conducted. This is particularly the case where profiles are set to private making them available only to certain people.
Although some candidates refuse and withdraw their application, others can ill afford to. Candidates obviously are able to say no but the pressure being applied on them could almost be classed as bullying. Some say yes as they feel they can’t say no because they need the job. This places individuals in a challenging position particularly when they require the employment opportunity.
The fact that employers are asking this question raises so many issues – whether it is legal to do and whether it violates the privacy of an individual to mention just two points. These issues remain murky as we enter unchartered territory in terms of social network sites. We are entering a new era in terms of public versus private information. Is something still private if we post it on Facebook or Twitter? Should employers be able to access this information to examine prospective employees?
These are interesting times!!
What do others think?
Is it okay for employers to ask to access your Facebook page?
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