Resume, references, password: Job seekers get asked in interviews to provide Facebook logins

[MindoverMaster]

SEATTLE — When Justin Bassett interviewed for a new job, he expected the usual questions about experience and references. So he was astonished when the interviewer asked for something else: his Facebook username and password.

Bassett, a New York City statistician, had just finished answering a few character questions when the interviewer turned to her computer to search for his Facebook page. But she couldn't see his private profile. She turned back and asked him to hand over his login information.

Bassett refused and withdrew his application, saying he didn't want to work for a company that would seek such personal information. But as the job market steadily improves, other job candidates are confronting the same question from prospective employers, and some of them cannot afford to say no.

Read more: Resume, references, password: Job seekers get asked in interviews to provide Facebook logins - The Washington Post

Isn't this like privacy violation?

 

[PP Mguire]

I'm unemployed, poor, and would still say no. They have no business knowing what is on your Facebook page. It is even worse asking for private credentials. Yes, in the US it is an invasion of privacy, but it is legal if you willingly hand it over to them.

 

[patonb]

Nope, its not. How is it "invasion" if you give them the okay. It's close to like asking how you spend your free time.

In todays market, companies have vast pools to draw from, so they can ask anything they want. They also want to know that their company is being represented by the person infront of them, and not a some other persona that can be hid in the 20min interview.

Is this right? It's not illegal so it can't be stopped.

Then again don't put things on the net you are not wanting to let others see.

 

[PP Mguire]

Whether it is legal or not, it is still invasion of privacy to ask for credentials. They want physical access to your account which requires your email and password. It is one thing to want to see what you post, it is another thing to as for your login. It is my opinion (and the opinion of the many), that your private life and work life should be two separate entities. As long as you aren't going against your terms with your employer it shouldn't matter.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

One of the upsides to not using Facebook.

 

[patonb]

Whether it is legal or not, it is still invasion of privacy to ask for credentials. They want physical access to your account which requires your email and password. It is one thing to want to see what you post, it is another thing to as for your login. It is my opinion (and the opinion of the many), that your private life and work life should be two separate entities. As long as you aren't going against your terms with your employer it shouldn't matter.

It's still not invasion of privacy if you let them in. You're an idiot if you let them in though.

While work life and not work life should be seperate.. Todays employers want it different, and as the article says... has the resource pool to be finicky.

 

[PP Mguire]

Like I said, whether it be legal or not, it is still invasion to ASK. Something a company does doesn't have to be illegal for it to be invasion of privacy. With the way the internet is, asking for your Facebook login would be like wanting your bank credentials.

You could say that, but you'd be surprised at the people who would take the job probably don't have a Facebook account. If you need the job that bad and are smart, you can always use a troll account you don't use to give to them.

 

[patonb]

Or set yourself up so that you can't be searched

Or say no.. and see if they hire you or not.

 

[overlord20]

Or just say you don't have one, make yourself not show up in searches, remove or don't put your phone number on the account, and don't give your employer the email that is used with the account. I have on specifically for email, one for news letters, and one for signing up on websites. Makes filtering the spam really easy. None of the accounts are the same, none of them are even on the same provider.

 

[tj_extreme]

The day my company asks me for my Facebook (which I don't use anymore...), Twitter, Steam, PSN, or any other accounts is the day I burn down the building.



(I hope someone gets the reference.)