Young people are probably the most social media conscious individuals. Many of them realize that what they put on their social media networks can easily go viral on the Internet. Now, employers are especially interested in taking a peek at what potential job candidates are posting on Facebook.
Facebook has condemned employers who request passwords from job candidates or request to see the inside parts of their social media profiles. It could be a violation of an employee’s right to privacy and the California based Facebook says it is a violation of its Statement of Rights and Responsibilities.
To get around not requiring a password from potential employees, some companies request candidates to log into their social media sites and click on whatever the interviewer asks them to. This could leave California job candidates open to discrimination, violating their employee rights.
If employers are allowed to screen candidates by having unrestricted access to their social media accounts, they could discriminate against candidates for virtually any reason. Many people list lots of information on these sites and it might sometimes be impossible to know what an employer saw that made them not hire someone.
The requests by employers to see private information from a person’s social media site have prompted outrage by civil rights groups as well as some politicians. One U.S. Senator is even drafting a federal law to make social media snooping illegal when considering job candidates. If you feel your rights have been violated while looking for a job, it might be wise to speak with an employment law attorney.
Source: PC Magazine, “Facebook Condemns Those Requesting Passwords of Interviewees, Employees,” Leslie Horn, March 23, 2012