There was an Associated Press article last week that documented cases of job applicants being asked to hand over their Facebook passwords so their prospective employers could check their background.
While many of us are an “open book” and have nothing to hide, this is a way for potential employers to . . .
Learn if you have kids
Discover your sexual orientation
Find out your age
It also violates Facebook’s policy which strictly prohibits giving your password to anyone.
Its not uncommon to do background checks on candidates. I get it . . . no one wants to hire a serial killer!
Many companies run credit checks. I actually don’t get this one. My credit history is none of your business unless I’ll have the ability to sign checks or have financial control at some level.
Drug screens. Noted and agreed.
And now a pre employment “Facebook Screen”???
It makes me wonder how much of our life is fair game and admissible in one’s judgment to hire us or move on to the next candidate?
Your turn . . . What would you say if a potential employer asked you to handover your Facebook password
What would I say? NEXT!!!!
I like the way you think Gary!
Thanks!
“What Facebook account?”
🙂
I’ve been thinking about this since your Facebook post. The answer is clearly no. That said, IF I do a good bit of business development on Facebook, and IF I expect my employer to be okay with me spending “work time” on that – than I would be okay with a compromise: “If you’re going to represent our company on Facebook, then we expect you to accept a friend request.”
Sounds like a fair compromise Jeanine!
Thanks!
Not cool! While I have nothing to hide, I definitely think this is a HUGE invasion of privacy! I’m the type of person who would prefer to keep my private and business life separate and I certainly wouldn’t want my boss to see pictures of my family’s every move for the last few years or to know that I had a hard time sleeping the night before (or whatever stupid post I decide to put up!). I agree with drug screening and contacting previous employers, but this is taking things WAY too far! And, the question is, what happens if you refuse to give it over? Are you automatically taken out of the running? What if you have too many kids (in their opinion) or are a different religion? Ugh…
Totally agree . . . Well said!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I’d probably agree because my pages are public anyway. But as a general rule – NO!!! Invasion of privacy. What’s next, bring me your family photo albums?
I read a response (maybe to this issue) a week or two ago that said that we are fast becoming a third world country – not because the government is running our lives (is that so far away?), but because the corporations are.
Interesting perspective Larry.
I hadn’t thought of it that way until you mentioned it!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Hi Paul
I agree with you on several items – the credit check makes me laugh. As you indicated how does my credit “worthiness” impact my ability to program software, or answer help desk questions or stock a shelf. As far as FaceBook – mine is so boring its really “Faceless Book” – but I would refuse to give up my password based upon principle. Would Luke Skywalker have asked for a FaceBook password when selecting recruits for the Rebel Alliance. I dont think so.
Keep on Rock’n
Dan
You had me at “Luke Skywalker” Dan!
Thank you!
I personally am very careful about what I post on facebook, so I would have no problem with someone looking at mine, in theory. But, I would not agree to this. Before facebook, would they have required to attend my annual holiday party disguised as a long lost friend? There are recent stories of young students being bullied by their school to hand over their password for facebook. Simply the fact that we all agreed when we signed up for facebook not to share our password, that should be reason enough. I would point out to the company that I would honor my responsibilities to them as well and not release information about their company to others either.
What doesn’t help the situation overall though is companies being unwilling to provide meaningful references for people in fear of lawsuits. As a result, companies are finding other ways to learn about us.
You know Mary Beth, the only thing that would aggravate me more than someone asking me for my password would be someone bullying my kids for their’s.
I think I would sue them so badly that I’d be the only dude in the neighborhood who owned his own public school 🙂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Great discussion here, Paul. There certainly needs to be a line between what is personally and professionally relevant. Not sure I agree with this Facebook screening…
Thank you for taking the time to weigh in with your thoughts and for RTing this on Twitter too!
Much appreciation!
I find it absolutely absurd that employers think they have the rights to my personal passwords. This is like having to give passwords to email or credit card pin #’s to a ptoential employer. It is violating the laws of privacy…
Not digging it!
I wonder when we will all get the opportunity to say ENOUGH!
I see many of these corporations sneaking into our personal lives one credit check and one password at a time.
Thanks Jenna!
Unfortunately, depends how badly I needed the job. 🙁 It’s not a position I’ve been in yet, but certainly in this rough economy these past few years, many candidates would not have much of a choice.
Very true. Sometimes are hands are tied due to our circumstances!
Hiya Paul,
This would be a deal breaker for me. I’m young so work/life balance is not of critical importance to me yet but the gesture of requiring my Facebook password is a very non-subtle way for the company to communicate they don’t view our private lives as separate from work. Simply asking is a strong indicator of future abuse of a work/life balance.
At the very least, in my opinion, it demonstrates that the company doesn’t “get it”, which means this is likely the earliest cue of an inept organization.
Not to mention I’d be betraying all of my friends who entrust their privacy to me, as the company could now see all of their information as well.
Good topic. EK
I totally agree with you Erik. This certainly demonstrates a bigger problem . . . an inept organization to which I would have to respectfully excuse myself and run away very fast!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
The request is wrong on so many levels, it’s hard to just pick one.
If a potential employer is asking for a password of any kind, you have to wonder how they will behave after they start paying you.
I recently had an interview where the CEO wanted to discuss confidential issues from a previous employer. When I declined disclosure, he reminded me it had been past my NDA. I declined again and he became rather abrupt.
People who don’t respect boundries, don’t respect boundries and it is important to be aware of the signals. (There’s my rant)
I love what you said here “you have to wonder how they will behave after they start paying you.”
Thank you Robert!
It amazes me how people still view a computer differently than a telephone or a camera when it comes to posting things on their Facebook pages. Like it is not really them who’s doing and posting crazy things. That being said, I believe it is too far for an employer to ask for and be given ones Facebook password. It is a strangely public/private space that only you have the choice to allow who you want to see what is posted there; though it doesn’t always work out that way. I don’t know if you know this, but those who aspire to be judges are told explicitly NOT to have a Facebook page or any other social media sites for that matter. They must be onto something, no?
Thanks Bruce!
No, I most definitely do not agree. My use of facebook is to keep in contact with family and friends that I do not see on a frequent basis, not my employer. This is a violation of privacy and I seriously do not think it will ever come to pass as accepted. However if it would, I believe you would se a large migration of people leaving Facebook.
Hi Paul – I guess not having a Facebook page is finally to my advantage. The key reason for not having one is extremely personal. I know a few people who came close to being fired or were dismissed because of something they posted on their FB page. I agree with the posts so far. These companies are out of control. And, whether I REALLY need a job or not, I would never hand over passwords or highly personal information to a potential employer. I am interviewing and have yet to be asked about FB. I can’t wait for someone to ask me so I can see the look on their face when I tell them I don’t have one!
I am on Facebook and I don’t post anything that is inappropriate, unless having a beer in my hand after a 40 mile bike ride with friends is considered inappropriate! I would absolutely NOT handover my Facebook password and would NOT even consider going to work for that company!
Plain and simple NO! I’d rather not have the job than work for a peep!
I would have to say that it is really not an issue for me with regard to what I post on Facebook or any other platform. Everything is public, so look away.
What I do take issue with is the fact that a password would give someone Admin rights on my account. I will not give that to anyone. Giving up your password not only gives them the opportunity to see anything hidden, it hands them everything.
Along the same lines I would submit to a credit check, but would not give them the PIN for my accounts.
Maybe there would be something to discuss if they wanted to give me admin access to their servers in exchange 🙂
20 years ago I was taking a “personality” test and it asked about your family members, their employment and then it went too far (I thought) into moral questions and touched on religious practices. I finally felt it was just going too far and I called the recruiter and refused the job. They came back several times trying to entice me with better benefits, more money ect but I was so offended that I wouldn’t consider it. I don’t want to work for anyone that thinks they need to know that much about me.
I would not. Long ago, I learned that everything a company says and does is a product of its leadership and its brand.
It is not a place that would foster a positive, working environment.
These are warning signs of a paranoid culture–as others have said, there are other avenues for a company to check out new hires/employees.
I know firsthand, as I made the mistake of working for a company after ignoring similar signs that appeared from our first meeting.
I would politely tell them no, that it is against Facebook policy. If this is a test to see if I would follow their company’s policies, I would stress to them that I follow rules and policies and look forward to discussing the opportunity with them. If they are serious about me sharing my account information, I would tell them that I am not interested in working for a company that does this.
Absolutely not! What’s next, requiring allowing them to read your mail? Your diary? Why don’t we just aloow them to tap our phones, too?
No way, as an employer we have to be sure to strike a balance between right & wrong; invasive vs non-invasive.
Like it or not, Facebook is a way the mainstream public chooses to express themselves as well as chronicle their personal lives.
So I say, if the individual allows areas of their page to be public – the employer should feel free to view it, just as anyone could. But to ask for their password to peer into their privacy is just crossing the line.
Good discussion!
I don’t have a problem with a prospective employer checking out my profile and in this day and age I almost expect it to be done along with the usual checkpoints – however I would never give my password out and if pressed for it I would know I’m not dealing with an organization I want to be a part of. People should be smart about how they use social media – if they put a colleague or even worse a Boss on blast via twitter/facebook it doesn’t reflect well on the person or the company as they are likely to do it again….
Happy Selling to all and to all a good night!
Paul, gr8 topic to discuss…on one hand, I wouldn’t care because, as you mentioned, I have nothing to hide…however, I don’t see why something as personal as FB would be “fair game” to a hiring company. I would think this would be a legal issue – (although I am not a lawyer!)
If a company needed to know that much about me, than perhaps I am not the right person for them and they are definitely not for me.
Since when did my personally life become professional material!
SPGonz
I would refuse. I think we are going a little to far with the invasion of social media. I agree also that my credit score should not be used as a guide for qualifying me for a job unless i applying to be the CFO.
I am glad most comments here would find asking for a Facebook password to be intrusive. I would like to add that a new bill going around would allow employers the right to find out if women use contraceptives and ask for a note from their Doctors to make sure they were using them for medical reasons other than birth control. What does Uncle Paul think about employers having the right to medical information of their employees? I would love to see an article addressing this current issue.
This reminds me of a large multi-national company in the ’80’s that interviewed all applicants spouses. The reason explained was to make sure the family understood the requirements of the position. However, it was perceived by the spouses to be an invasion of privacy; and meant to eliminate an applicant who’s spouse did not measure up to the company’s secret requirements.
Hi Paul,
The thin edge of a very intrusive wedge, Facebook pass word today, “Can you bring your wife to the 2nd interview, we need to make sure she is a good corporate wife and will gel with the other wives”???? This is a job interview, your are going to exchange your service for their money, you are not going to be married to them? Sadly it is becoming the norm for employers to feel they have a right to your skills and abilities 24/7, yet one wonders about if those same employers probably have a great work/life balance?
The right to privacy is laid down in common law in almost every country, if a perspective employer is prepared to flout these laws over a matter such as this, one wonders what they will require when they hire you. Is there HR department so inept and there pre hire process so weak that they cannot establish your bona fides through that system? It would appear these employers feel they are above the law, or this is an easy way to run a character check, either way I would be leaving the interview as soon as the question was asked.
As has been commented, your Facebook profile gives access to friends and colleagues who are looking to you to protect their privacy as well.
Short answer NO password, NO to the position and company!!!
I would say “Hello, is this a test to see if I handed over my company domain password to my next employer? Then consider me passed.”
Hi Paul –
If an employer acts this badly during the “dating” period, how are they going to behave when you get “married” and accept a position? I’d decline and I’d advise my clients to decline as well.
Although,as one commenter said, “If I’m unemployed and desperate, I’d probably oblige.” But isn’t it despicable company representative would take advantage of current economic situations to “justify” such ridiculous invasiveness? For goodness sake, they’re renting your behavior and skills set; not purchasing your soul.
(I just love your blog!)
That’s a Deal Breaker. Just last year I turned down what looked to be a great job after opening an online test they wanted me to take. The testing started with questions about my childhood. I don’t remember my childhood all that well and felt it really was none of thier business. I didn’t finish the testing and did not take the job.
Abusive and invasive. Is Privacy a thing of the past.
Inquire
Another good topic Paul!
I’m amazed how many people start their postings with “to a degree I would agree as I have nothing to hide”… Passwords are not about “hiding” information per se… they are about securing access to confidential information, whether it be related to us or others.
As another poster mentioned, would you hand over the login details to your previous job? That is THEIR data, not your potential employers.
Would you hand over the PIN number to your bank account? (After all, you have nothing to hide, right, so letting them see the balance of your account is not an issue?)
Consider it this way…
you hand over a password, immediately there are ramifications:
1. You now have no security as to what happens to the information it protects (what is the potential employer going to do while they’re in your Facebook/Bank Account?)
2. You have just broken the confidentiality and trust of all those people who “friended” YOU (NOT your potential employer) by letting you see the information that THEY have deemed is only accessible to trusted individuals.
3. You have probably broken the terms and conditions of any security system that enrolled the password protection where it will state (and I’d be interested to find a password/security contract which DIDN’T!) that you are NOT to share your password/pin number/code with anyone else.
My response to an employer (whether potential or actual) who asked for any password would be the same – namely, “I’m not prepared to give you that information for the protection of myself, others, the company and you. If this is the password to a system that you control, then I am sure you will have the ability to either change that password internally or to see the information it protects without the need to do so. I would like to point out that, if you need to change my password on, for example, my company login, I would like to have something in writing as a disclaimer that, until such time as I change it to something only I know, I am not able to be held responsible for the confidentiality of any information protected by it.
As for all other third party system passwords, their terms dictate that I am not to share the information and so I must decline.”
How many employers would be pleased to hear that former employees have shared security/confidential information about THEIR organisation with other parties, even if an NDA had been taken between that person and the third party?
It should be mentioned at this time, and I am hoping to write a blog post of my own about this next point in the near future (keep an eye on my twitter account, @EnableITmike:disqus , for updates), that when it comes to things like LinkedIn accounts, if you have been allowed to use this for business purposes in your current employ then, on termination of your contract, your parting employer is legally entitled to access to all those contacts you’ve taken the time to nurture in your LinkedIn account, unless you can prove there has not been any contact in a business environ (at which point you won’t have to hand over the details of those particular individuals/companies/groups), but that’s a whole other security/ownership topic of its own.
Sorry to take up so much screen space 😉
Normal service will now resume.
Mike
This reminds me of a customer trying to do all of their research on their own about a potential acquisition/purchase without any desire to talk to a salesperson.
Paul,
While I agree that you have no business playing on the Web during work hours (unless that is part of your job such as professional Tweeter), asking for a password to anything is plain wrong! Smacks of Big Brother to me.
Stand up for your own individuality when on your own time and understand what is expected of you when on the Boss’s time as long as it’s not intruding into your personal life!
Cheers,
Larry
A few choice curse words come to mind.