Connecticut Senator Says Facebook Passwords Should Not Be Sought By Employers

CaptainHaplo · 03-26-12, 10:01 PM

WOW! Platypus, Mookie, August and I all agree on this issue.

Is it December 2012 already????

I can understand the desire of a company HR person to check out the candidate fully - after all, if your a bank and your prospect has a bunch of pictures of himself at a casino with captions complaining of how he just lost his shirt, it could indicate that he might not be the best to control money unsupervised. Someone always posting how drunk they are may not be the best person to run the liquor store. It goes to the desire to get more insight regarding the person's character.

However, while I understand the desire - that doesn't make it right or ethical. Do I have a problem with the question being asked? Not really. The problem is one of legality. Is it discrimination to refuse to consider an applicant that refuses to provide such data? The real legal question is that if someone posts something on the interwebz, is it considered private? I mean, the net isn't exactly a private place by its nature.

Remember - sites like facebook didn't always have "privacy settings" - if you posted it - it was "out there". If you post and use privacy settings, your abrogating (aka trusting another party) the responsibility to make sure such data you want hidden really is. As most such sites are not service providers for pay, can a "consumer" claim a right to privacy has been breached? I could go on and on regarding the legal quagmire.

Its wrong, its unethical if its a condition of consideration - but its not illegal for them to ask. They still should not do so. On that I think we can all agree.

03-26-12, 10:01 PM	#1
CaptainHaplo Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,405 Downloads: 31 Uploads: 0	WOW! Platypus, Mookie, August and I all agree on this issue. Is it December 2012 already???? I can understand the desire of a company HR person to check out the candidate fully - after all, if your a bank and your prospect has a bunch of pictures of himself at a casino with captions complaining of how he just lost his shirt, it could indicate that he might not be the best to control money unsupervised. Someone always posting how drunk they are may not be the best person to run the liquor store. It goes to the desire to get more insight regarding the person's character. However, while I understand the desire - that doesn't make it right or ethical. Do I have a problem with the question being asked? Not really. The problem is one of legality. Is it discrimination to refuse to consider an applicant that refuses to provide such data? The real legal question is that if someone posts something on the interwebz, is it considered private? I mean, the net isn't exactly a private place by its nature. Remember - sites like facebook didn't always have "privacy settings" - if you posted it - it was "out there". If you post and use privacy settings, your abrogating (aka trusting another party) the responsibility to make sure such data you want hidden really is. As most such sites are not service providers for pay, can a "consumer" claim a right to privacy has been breached? I could go on and on regarding the legal quagmire. Its wrong, its unethical if its a condition of consideration - but its not illegal for them to ask. They still should not do so. On that I think we can all agree. __________________ Good Hunting! Captain Haplo