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Tuesday, March 20, 2012 | 6:21 p.m.
SEATTLE — In their efforts to screen job applicants, some employers are going beyond the usual questions about experience and references and asking for something else: Facebook usernames and passwords.
The practice seems to be more common among public agencies, especially those seeking to fill law enforcement positions such as police officers or 911 dispatchers. But it's happening in both the public and private sectors, and some job candidates cannot afford to say no.
Orin Kerr is a George Washington University law professor and former federal prosecutor. He says the practice is like "requiring someone's house keys."
Companies that don't ask for passwords have taken other steps — such as asking applicants to friend human resource managers or to log in to a company computer during an interview.
Asking for passwords is just flat wrong. I can see how asking for usernames might be justified as part of a background check for a position that requires such.
And that's where you say, "I don't want to work here. Kiss..." My Facebook account would put you all to sleep, but you don't surrender passwords. Any I.T. person knows this.
I'm always telling Facebook people "watch what you put on there"...
It is amazin' what people will post on Facebook with no concept AT ALL of 'this could come back to bite me in the a$$'...
That said;
I would second The_Next_Opinion, and in lieu of the password to my boring FB account, I would offer the interviewer an onobstructed view of my backside.
I WILL GIVE YOU MY PASSWORD ONLY IF YOU GIVE ME YOUR HOME & CELL PHONE TELEPHONE NUMBER
OTHERWISE FORGET YOU AND THE COMPANY YOU WORK FOR.
I completely understand asking someone to friend the recruiter on Facebook. But as far as asking for my password...hell no! I send messages, which I deem to be private and only I can read those. Now if a recruiter wants to go through my profile and pics as a "friend" go ahead.
This is so blatantly wrong and unconstitutional. Where is the DOJ and the 50 states AG's?
Out to lunch as usual one would guess. You should be able to have an actionable remedy to this, i.e., be able to call the police and have the person requesting this information arrested with jail time for every person found guilty of this clear invasion of property, what's next, they get to see the contents of your safe deposit box, your underwear drawer? If you can prove you have had a vasectomy you get the position over someone who won't need maternity coverage?
I would never, ever give up a single one of my rights for a job - PERIOD! This is absurd and UN-American! But, sadly, so many people do not even know their rights, let alone have the courage to stand-up, speak-out and defend them - sad, Sad, SAD!
Just remember that they DO NOT NEED YOUR PASSWORD to see your page and to click on your "friends" and see their pages. More employers are doing this than you think.
Just another way Corporate America is taking advantage of the unemployment rate. What options does an unemployed person have, but to surrender to these requirements. If the job seeker balks, the employer says 'fine, we have many more applicants that we can exploit.'
Yeah Bob, we should blame them. if you can't tell that a person is a thug and a loser in the interview, you are less qualified than the applicant.
Also, no one is required to hire anyone in NV. What you can't do, is disqualify applicants out of hand because their skin might be a shade darker than yours. One of the best businesswomen I ever met was black. Sharp, honest, educated and a good nose for the bottom line.
You need to get out more, Bob. The govt. doesn't require you to hire anyone.
I work at a company that has no "diversity" policy. Our workforce looks like it should. We have Whites, Blacks, Hispanics and Asians in the average percentage of our community population. It's what happens when you don't discriminate.