View Full Version : Employers asking for facebook password.



Roadhawg
03-20-2012, 12:49 PM
Not sure if this has been discussed before. I think if I was asked for my Facebook ID and password during an interview, or even on the current job, I would politely decline.

http://newsok.com/employers-ask-job-seekers-for-facebook-passwords/article/feed/361701

MikeLucky
03-20-2012, 12:54 PM
Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if this starts coming up with regards to government clearances as well....

HewenttoJared
03-20-2012, 05:39 PM
Who would want to work for such a company? Even requiring you to friend an HR person? Why don't they just hire someone to shadow you. Such a creepy thing for an employer to do. Thanks, but no thanks!

Agreed. I would probably walk out.

ljbab728
03-20-2012, 10:34 PM
And I wonder what they would do about someone like me who doesn't have a facebook account and never will? Would that make you unhireable?

BBatesokc
03-21-2012, 09:04 AM
Weird, I know I posted on this thread yesterday.

I personally would not comply - but I've never held a job in that high of regard and I've had a few upper management/admin jobs.

I know companies locally that require their employees to post social media comments pushing their employer. I also know of companies that require you to 'friend' them so they can know what you're posting. Some law enforcement jobs have policies against having a social media presence.

I worked for a company that essentially key logged every computer and thus it gave them access to your social media passwords, email passwords, banks accounts etc. if you utilized a company computer while logging in. Another provided free wireless internet but could monitor all your activity while on it.

Many don't realize all those social media posts you see from local news reporters are actually mandatory. They tell them how many social media posts they are to send out and how many are to be personal and how many news related. At least one station requires access to reporter's social media pages so they can do updates for them. They even have staffer's whose job it is to monitor their reporter's posts and those from other stations.

My wife is in HR and she says social media is the number one easiest way to fire someone. Either based on something they posted or because they accessed social media from a work computer.

I once had 'the men in black' from Tinker show up at my house because a picture I posted was suspected to be an officer with very high military clearance. I assumed someone recognized him and told them. They said they have computers that constantly search the Internet for content related to people with high security access and that an algorithm highlighted the photo as matching the facial profile of this particular person. Come to find out, it was him. I kinda thought that was all TV CSI stuff, but I guess its life imitating art!

RadicalModerate
03-21-2012, 09:24 AM
For some reason, that "Brick in the Wall" tune by Pink Floyd just started up in my head.
If I played Facebook, I'd probably "Like" it . . .

Larry OKC
03-21-2012, 09:52 AM
Just seems as outlandish as asking for a employees/potential employees ATM/Debit card password info.

BBatesokc
03-21-2012, 10:19 AM
It would be like saying, "Please bring your diary and family albums to your interview."

Questor
03-21-2012, 10:23 AM
" (Illinois Sheriff's Dept.) Chief Deputy Rusty Thomas defended the practice, saying applicants have a right to refuse. But no one has ever done so. Thomas said that 'speaks well of the people we have apply.' "

And that statement, and its implication, probably speaks to the Illinois Sheriff's Department opinion of civil and privacy rights.

RadicalModerate
03-21-2012, 10:48 AM
When did the State of Illinois get rid of County Sheriffs?

White Peacock
03-21-2012, 11:12 AM
I once had 'the men in black' from Tinker show up at my house because a picture I posted was suspected to be an officer with very high military clearance. I assumed someone recognized him and told them. They said they have computers that constantly search the Internet for content related to people with high security access and that an algorithm highlighted the photo as matching the facial profile of this particular person. Come to find out, it was him. I kinda thought that was all TV CSI stuff, but I guess its life imitating art!

Dude, that is seriously creepy.

OKCTalker
03-21-2012, 01:13 PM
This doesn't make sense. I know one large, health care employer in OKC that strongly discourages management and staff from friending one another on FB, and they absolutely prohibit employees from friending patients. I understand that, especially in the realm of patient privacy.

BBatesokc
03-21-2012, 05:53 PM
Wasn't there a juror recently that friended the criminal defendant?

bluedogok
03-21-2012, 07:27 PM
I once had 'the men in black' from Tinker show up at my house because a picture I posted was suspected to be an officer with very high military clearance. I assumed someone recognized him and told them. They said they have computers that constantly search the Internet for content related to people with high security access and that an algorithm highlighted the photo as matching the facial profile of this particular person. Come to find out, it was him. I kinda thought that was all TV CSI stuff, but I guess its life imitating art!
There is a company in Austin that does data mining for the NSA, all the higher-ups are ex-NSA/CIA people. We did their office building and it had a massively large computer room, more like the old server rooms that you think of with the raised floors and row after row of high end servers and supercomputers.

SoonerQueen
03-21-2012, 09:07 PM
I have told my son what my password is so that in the event of my sudden death, he can let my Facebook friends know. Under no circumstances would I give it to an employer or someone I didn't know and trust.

RadicalModerate
03-21-2012, 09:55 PM
It's a sad day indeed, when you can't trust your employer.
And vice-versa.

Do data-miners have to wear hardhats and black-heart protection?
And is the provider of said protection well liked on Facebook?

Came across this the other day . . .
Didn't expect an appropriate opportunity to share so soon . . . =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sThcwmx3rs

Questor
03-21-2012, 10:32 PM
Even if your employer claims to be The Sheriff of Illinois.

I would also file this, like something in the last thread I was commenting on, as something that someone just needs to let go of. I tried to type "McLean Illinois" on my iPad, and the iPad didn't like that for whatever reason and deleted the county name or I somehow cut the text. My typing is not always the best on the iPad. Fortunately I am using the PC tonight. Maybe this explanation will head off the now third un-funny response to this error we are or were likely to see.

RadicalModerate
03-21-2012, 10:34 PM
Yes . . . Just let it go . . . Whatever it may be . . . (anger? . . . outrage?) =)

OKCTalker
03-22-2012, 10:21 AM
Wasn't there a juror recently that friended the criminal defendant?

The juror was found in contempt and jailed.

Libbymin
03-22-2012, 11:12 AM
If someone gets fired or not hired for posting something offensive on FB to where anyone in the public could read it, then they probably deserve to be fired for being an idiot. Changing privacy settings is not hard. Giving your password out to employers you don't even know is just plain absurd though. Does that mean they would be able to check my profile at any point during my employment with them?

I've worked at places before where the HR department treats their employees like children, finding any reason to get on someone's case (excessive email, dress code, length of breaks taken, etc). All it does is induce employees to find ways around it. They don't do that sort of thing at all at my new job and people here are a whole lot more productive.

RadicalModerate
03-26-2012, 08:42 AM
I have a Facebook account but I almost never access it as that annoying, non-stop stream of blather flowing in regarding everything imaginable holds no interest for me, whatsoever. (Probably the way a number of people in here feel about MY stream of blather.)

But how about this:
As a condition of employment, a company requires you to open a Facebook account and spam all your "Friends" with B.S. talking up the company. In that case, they could demand your password and keep track of your "contributions" to "the cause" thus transforming you into a 24/7 sock puppet for the company. Nah. Never happen. =)

NoOkie
03-28-2012, 02:26 PM
I have a Facebook account but I almost never access it as that annoying, non-stop stream of blather flowing in regarding everything imaginable holds no interest for me, whatsoever. (Probably the way a number of people in here feel about MY stream of blather.)

But how about this:
As a condition of employment, a company requires you to open a Facebook account and spam all your "Friends" with B.S. talking up the company. In that case, they could demand your password and keep track of your "contributions" to "the cause" thus transforming you into a 24/7 sock puppet for the company. Nah. Never happen. =)

Facebook's policy is 1 person=1 account. So it's in theory not like email, where you can have a professional account and a personal account. Facebook wants your profile clearly connected and limited to you for targeted advertising and data collection.

Sheetkeecker
03-28-2012, 06:26 PM
It is unconstitutional to ask for a facebook password. Only a fool would give it up.
Force a firing, then get rich on the lawsuit and retire.
New hire, simply say you do not have a facebook account.

kevinpate
03-28-2012, 09:42 PM
facebook ... it's not just for annoying memes (sp?) anymore.