Job interview? Fork over Facebook Password

I find it amazing that a single person wants to defend the practice described in the OP.

It's none of their business.
 
jj said:
I find it amazing that a single person wants to defend the practice described in the OP.

It's none of their business.
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Not yet, but it's up to the interviewer to decide if you *are* to become part of their business...
 
Weak Kitten said:
It's the email password part that really upsets me. That's like asking someone for the key to their mail box. Especially with the amount of online banking and shopping that people do today. It's not unusual for a person to have credit card statements, bank statements and other identity based information in their email box. This is information that a police officer would need a warrant to acquire!
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Just as an aside - you probably ought not do that. It's a bit like storing your
stuff in the back of a pickup truck. Generally, electronic mail is not encrypted
so anyone between the sender and receiver can read the messages. Probably
ought rename it electronic post card.
 
I don't understand what the big deal is. If you get asked for it just respond with this:

Well sure prospective employer, I can give you my facebook username and password. I understand how important a persons character is and that you just want to make sure I'll be good to work with.

Of course I also believe the character of a business is important and want to make sure I'm working for a reputable company. I'll just need your computer system admin username and password please.
 
Me? I'm a contrarian. I saw this story, and immediately began racking my brain for a plausible reason for this practice, something to stuff up the inevitable parade of repudiators and decriers.

But five pages in, I've got nothing. I thought Pulvinar came pretty close at one point, but then he took a hard left turn into wooville.
 
Pulvinar said:
Not yet, but it's up to the interviewer to decide if you *are* to become part of their business...
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Let me know your own comfort level.

Is it okay for the interviewer to inquire about:


  • The film interests of your children
  • Your wife's menstrual cycle
  • Your interpretation of the final scene from Inception
  • A general description of your genitals
  • How hot the receptionist was on a scale of 1-10
  • If Wuthering Heights was insufferable or just a crime against humanity
  • If corvettes are superior to creamery butter
  • The possibility of placing a surveillance camera in your bedroom that only the company can access


You know because I'm just curious if there are any boundaries that could be crossed.
 
Travis said:
...You know because I'm just curious if there are any boundaries that could be crossed.
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Of course there are boundaries. My point is that if it comes from your "private" Facebook page then it has already been shared with one company. If you have stuff there you don't want to share, it's a little late.
 
Except that this has already been refuted, that sharing specific information with one company doesn't mean you should be expected to share this same information with another company... *facepalm*
 
Morrigan said:
Except that this has already been refuted, that sharing specific information with one company doesn't mean you should be expected to share this same information with another company... *facepalm*
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I understand, but were talking about Facebook here, not your medical records. At least I should hope not...
 
- The film interests of your children

Sure. I need to know if you will be drivving them around for late films and show for work tired or something.

- Your wife's menstrual cycle

But of course: If she gets cranky, you will b e cranky. At work! I have a legitimate interest to know when that will be!

- Your interpretation of the final scene from Inception

Naturally. I have to see if you are smart or stupid, right? (And, seriously, that looks like an ok question to ask.)

- A general description of your genitals

Oh, please ask!

- How hot the receptionist was on a scale of 1-10

Only if I am being told who of my managers is banging her. Don't want to get into trouble by intruding or anything ...


- If Wuthering Heights was insufferable or just a crime against humanity


That's a tough one ...


  • If corvettes are superior to creamery butter
I got nothing.


  • The possibility of placing a surveillance camera in your bedroom that only the company can access
Sure. But I'll charge twice the usual premium rate!

You know because I'm just curious if there are any boundaries that could be crossed.
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:boxedin:
 
Pulvinar said:
Not yet, but it's up to the interviewer to decide if you *are* to become part of their business...
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And, your point? Would you comply if they asked for the key to your house? The key to your car? Your storage locker?

You keep making a thoroughly disingenious row about how you've already given your name and password to Facebook, which is just about the most irrelevant thing going. I suppose since you gave your mail id and password to google, you'd give it to me, too? I don't THINK so.
 
I can't believe that there's someone out there that's ok with this practice. Pulvinar, are you expecting to be an employer soon or something? Is that why you're justifying this... because it will be you asking people for their login info? Are you a control freak?

And while your at it, why don't you just hand the keys to your house to your potential employer and tell him "I'll be going away for the weekend, please feel free to drop by my home and rummage through all my personal belongings since, you know, I trust you and I want you to trust me."

I think you would have really enjoyed living in Nazi Germany in the 1930's.
 
Because of this trend I've set my profile to mostly friends only. Otherwise an employer can see my religion, politics, and sexuality when they are otherwise not allowed to ask for such things.
 
Pulvinar said:
I understand, but were talking about Facebook here, not your medical records. At least I should hope not...
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Right. We're talking about a potential employer asking you to violate a legal agreement you made with another organization, and compromising the security of not only that third party, but also your friends and family.

You really don't see anything unethical about that?
 
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Pulvinar said:
It's not forfeiting privacy rights, only including one more company in this particular private circle.

I'm still amused here about how touchy people are about releasing what they post on Facebook (everyone I know only puts stuff they'd love to show to anyone there). Is it mostly younger people who assume Facebook is truly private?
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You're giving them your PASSWORD!!!!!


How many people have such a poor memory, that their facebook password is the same as EVERY password they have? Everything from bank records to online games would be available to the prospective employer.

Honestly, if you think that's no big deal, you're out of your mind.
 
Pulvinar said:
Of course there are boundaries. My point is that if it comes from your "private" Facebook page then it has already been shared with one company. If you have stuff there you don't want to share, it's a little late.
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Yes, shared with one company who will fail and lose BILLIONS (with a B) of dollars should they start the practice of screwing with your personal information.

I think that might prevent them from illicit activity, no?
 
NoahFence said:
You're giving them your PASSWORD!!!!!


How many people have such a poor memory, that their facebook password is the same as EVERY password they have? Everything from bank records to online games would be available to the prospective employer.

Honestly, if you think that's no big deal, you're out of your mind.
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As the quoted story says, they are not really into acquiring a password. If an applicant balks at the request, then the interviewer simply asks the applicant to sign in to his or her account so that the interviewer can look at all the information on the applicant's Facebook page.

Yes, the interviewer could be capturing all the typing on the company's computer and could then snag the password, but these companies are more interested in your attitudes towards previous employers and your past or ongoing criminal activities and your religious, philosophical, and political viewpoints that might effect our job performance. Of course, I agree with most of the previous posters that what is on one's private section of Facebook is none of their damned business but I just wanted to emphasize that they are not trying to phish passwords to mess with applicant information.
 
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