Posted on 02/21/2011 3:50:37 PM PST by FromLori
The American Civil Liberties Union has taken up the cause of a Maryland man who was forced to cough up his Facebook password during a job interview with the Department of Corrections in that state.
According to an ACLU letter sent to the Maryland Department of Corrections, the organization requires that new applicants and those applying for recertifications give the government "their social media account usernames and personal passwords for use in employee background checks."
The ACLU calls this policy "a frightening and illegal invasion of privacy" and I can't say that I disagree. Keep in mind that this isn't looking at what you've posted to a public Twitter account; the government agency here could look through private Facebook messages, which seems a lot like reading through your mail, paper or digital.
While it's not surprising that some employers might want to snoop in your social media life, it strikes me as a remarkable misapprehension of what Facebook is to think that it should be wholly open for background investigations. Legally, things are probably more complex, but it seems commonsensical that carte blanche access to your communications should be off-limits.
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
I’d just lie and say don’t have any.
That’s a good move. When I got into government service, it wasn’t so intrusive. Part of the problem is that once someone is off probation for civil service it’s practically impossible to fire them. So, they give you a real anal probe on the way in.
I don’t use Facebook or Myspace or Twitter. Never will understand the appeal.
I also would never give anyone my passwords to anything.
Check my post #78.
If they ask for my facebook login, I will gladly volunteer to give them a stool sample instead.
Right after I tell them to FOAD.
It ain't their business. My passwords and my social networking is my business alone. Some a-hole control freak can take a hike.
What next? Are they gonna try to get someone's FR login and password?
What about a FR account?
It’s not just you. However, there are people who will, and that’s part of the point, I think. It recruits a certain type of individual, specifically one that doesn’t believe in the fourth amendment.
A good place to be. Congratulations on success after, no doubt, real work to get there!
But do check out online communications for politics, or good people like you will be cut out.
Hire them on the spot!
Only for those who lack the entrepreneurial spirit. It's not the easiest thing in the world to start a business and create your own job, especially today, but whether the effort is worth it depends on how sick and tired you are of a**hole bosses meddling in your personal life.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
LOL, I’m good with that!
I lost my Facebook account info in the boating tragedy I’ve been telling you about....
Of course employers are allowed to ask the question; but they can’t force an answer. If a potential employee doesn’t like such a policy, they are free to take their labor elsewhere...
I suppose if the employer is a public entity, then Constitutional objections could probably be raised...
I don't even know what a "Login" is.
Ah, but i wasn't saying a thing about Sarah Palin as an elected person. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, she's not holding an office or running for office.
i believe that was another poster who questioned you on that matter. i did not.
Again, congratulations you've just disqualified Sarah Palin from employment in your company.
|
I would never surrender personal information (such as login passwords) to any interviewer. Might as well ask for my ATM pin number while you’re at it and my paypal login info.
It’s all data mining. Anyone who WOULD surrender such information should be rejected on the spot as he’d be a potential leak for privileged CLIENT information.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.