Facebook passwords 'fair game in job interviews'

[Jazzy]

The growing trend for bosses asking prospective employees for their Facebook usernames and passwords is not illegal say employment lawyers.



There have been several cases reported in the US of people being asked for their Facebook passwords while being interviewed for a role.



Justin Bassett, a New York-based statistician, had just finished answering some standard character questions in a job interview, when he was asked to hand over his Facebook login information after his interviewer could not find his profile on the site, according to the Boston Globe.



Bassett refused and withdrew his job application, as he did not want to be employed by a business which would invade his privacy to such an extent

.

While Lee Williams, an online retail worker from the Midlands, told The Telegraph that he was asked by his managing director for his Facebook login details, after his boss had looked him up on the social network and could not see any details about him as his privacy settings were locked down. The boss thought that Williams was hiding something by not having his profile publicly available.



Sarah Veale, head of equality and employment rights for the TUC, has warned that the practice is likely to start happening more and more in the UK.



“Once something like this starts happening in the US, it is likely to come over here – especially in American businesses which have outposts in UK. If interviewers in the US are adopting this practice of asking prospective staff for access to their Facebook accounts, they will start doing it over here.”



Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...ok-passwords-fair-game-in-job-interviews.html



Question: Would you give your Facebook password in hopes of getting a job?

 

[Jazzy]

I would never do it either. What the hell does a Facebook account have to do with my qualifications to do the job? :mad:

 

[Evil Eye]

I would never give up any password to get employed.

Any password I really cared about anyway.

Anyway, no, I would not.

 

[The Dragon Master]

Never would give my password out. Facebook should have no bearing on if you are going to be hired or not. Facebook is supposed to be a place where you can let lose a bit.

 

[Bluezone777]

This is yet again another example of an employer abusing the job market to invade the privacy of job applicants who are being driven into doing anything to get a job. No job is worth handing over your privacy. Besides, if this is what the employer thinks is acceptable behavior then you can only imagine how bad it gets once they hire you.

 

[Sinon]

If I had to, I'd just give them a fake account.

 

[Raven]

That is absolutly disgraceful! If someone asked me for mine i'd tell them where to go and where to shove they're job!

 

[Jazzy]

This is yet again another example of an employer abusing the job market to invade the privacy of job applicants who are being driven into doing anything to get a job. No job is worth handing over your privacy. Besides, if this is what the employer thinks is acceptable behavior then you can only imagine how bad it gets once they hire you.

Very well said and I like this post very much!

 

[alan@stgiles]

No never as like everybody here as all ready said.