Would you hand over your social network logins for a job?

[sNyx]

City in Montana requires job applicants to hand over all social network logins and passwords for background checks

Cliff sez, "Bozeman City, Montana now asks all applicants for jobs to 'Please list any and all, current personal or business websites, web pages or memberships on any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc.,' the City form states. There are then three lines where applicants can list the Web sites, their user names and log-in information and their passwords."

The anonymous viewer emailed the news station recently to express concern with a component of the city's background check policy, which states that to be considered for a job applicants must provide log-in information and passwords for social network sites in which they participate. The requirement is included on a waiver statement applicants must sign, giving the City permission to conduct an investigation into the person's "background, references, character, past employment, education, credit history, criminal or police records."

Taken: City in Montana requires job applicants to hand over all social network logins and passwords for background checks - Boing Boing

Source: Bozeman City job requirement raises privacy concerns - Montana's News Station - Fair. Accurate. To the Point. -

[mapleleaf4ever]

hah i don't see how that's right. especially if they're conducting a regular background check. i've got national security clearance without having to cough that up. who cares if there's pictures of me plastered on the weekend? doesn't apply to my job.

[dabbler]

Definitely an invasion of privacy in most countries, and would be illegal if that was anywhere in Canada. Not sure about Montana though, who knows it could actually be legal now because of changes to privacy laws by the Bush administration.

[sNyx]

Okay say that the whole password thing wasn't the point, would you offer your Facebook for example as a reference point if asked to supply on a resume? So add "THIS COMPANY" as a friend so they can investigate you and your interactions with friends.

I would gladly add them as a friend to review if they had first asked (becuase we all know some companies are going to snoop this regardless).

[rawb]

naw i wouldn't want to work in an office that cared about that

[sNyx]

^ can't we assume with the growth and popularity of networks like Facebook that these will eventually overtake the paper resume?

[rawb]

i'd rather just send them a .txt or a .pdf

[Disco_Whore]

That's absolutely ridiculous. What next, you must hand in your seventh grade diary?

[gnosis]

Just another step along the path to the United States of Fascism.

What?

You're actually _surprised_ @ this?

Frosty
(saw it coming, watching it happen)

[dabbler]

There are laws that protect people from this. Details about your personal life - whether important or trivial, are not to be considered when hiring as it could be considered prejudice. If it's your personal life, then it has nothing to do with your work, some exceptions for certain jobs, but still...

[SEAN!]

thats a serious invasion of privacy however, in the united states employers can get away with that type of crap.

[SEAN!]

Originally Posted by dabbler

There are laws that protect people from this. Details about your personal life - whether important or trivial, are not to be considered when hiring as it could be considered prejudice. If it's your personal life, then it has nothing to do with your work, some exceptions for certain jobs, but still...

labour laws in the united states are completely different then canada. you can get fired or not hired due to things you do in your personal life.

[shogun rua]

fuck that

[inside]

I rescently didn't get a job because I had credit issues in my life time.

[shogun rua]

Originally Posted by inside

I rescently didn't get a job because I had credit issues in my life time.

chit, national security type stuff?

[stephen_c]

Would you hand over your social network logins for a job?

absolutely no.

[inside]

Originally Posted by shogun rua

chit, national security type stuff?

no sales of a high end product.

Only 25 years behind 1984.

Originally Posted by sNyx™

^ can't we assume with the growth and popularity of networks like Facebook that these will eventually overtake the paper resume?

I think we are forgetting that we use social networking sites like we use to use phones and snail mail. Giving permission for someone to search my email, facebook, and myspace is like letting someone listen and look through all my phone calls, mail, or search my apartment.

I dont see anything wrong with criminal record checks, google searching someone, or even accepting them to be your "friend". When applying for my UK visa I had to hand over all kinds of personal documents such as bank statements, ownership of my car, finger prints etc, but it wasnt like I had to give them any of my passwords so that they could have full access to anything.

I can see handing over documents and proof of certain things, but allowing full access to your accounts and personal business is way to far imo.