Employers Looking At Your Facebook
polycounter lvl 11
A fairly recent development (I don't think it's as prevelant in game companies at the moment) is employers asking to see a potential hire's Facebook page. Someone at my job sent this around about it, it's a pretty good read.
http://raganwald.posterous.com/i-hereby-resign
http://raganwald.posterous.com/i-hereby-resign
Replies
http://raganwald.posterous.com/everythings-made-up-and-the-points-dont-matte
drop facebook, think twice about what you put online
You're coming to this conclusion because somebody wrote some speculative fiction?
My facebook is locked down tight, and even if anyone could view it, they'd just see me complaining about the weather...
Interesting read, my initial response was: that's a ridiculous policy, invades on privacy waaaay too much! I hadn't even contemplated the possibility of the company itself being in trouble because of it.
I'm very well aware that I've made myself so visible online, so if there's something I don't want people to know, it simply doesn't find its way onto the internet. Ever.
I think that's something a lot of other people could do well to learn. There's no anonymity online these days, especially with the advent of widespread social networking. I'm not saying I like it, because I feel it's scuzzy for employers to look at employees' Facebook pages, but it goes with the territory now.
Well people tend not to act up here because for example you could be an employer I'm quoting to now. On Facebook people tend to just joke with their friends and they lose their inhibitions.
The worst thing would be tracking peoples youtube account. "This applicant has favourite Rick Astley Never Gonna Give You Up, this applicant commented: I could watch this all day, omg... I already have"
I'm sure you guys could come up with a more messed up example, especial Swizzle ^_^
It's not at all, people just need to stop being stupid about what they put online. My way of thinking is, if it's not something you would shout in a crowded mall, it doesn't belong online.
There is a huge difference between this and what you post here on polycount. Likewise, a lead artist can see your post history here. They cannot see any private messages you have sent to other members. This is no different than if an employer said, "Hey, can you open up your text messages on your cell phone? I need to take a look at that." Why and for what purpose would anyone need to see this information?
What I do in my personal life is just that. It has nothing to do with how I work or the level of work I can do on a day to day basis, but that's just my opinion...
Besides that I don't think It was one of the smartest ideas because well your whole life is or could be on there. Its like tweeting, who really cares?
Anyway invasion of privacy, is still invasion of privacy.
It should go if the employee has to do that, the employer should also do It by the employee. Works both ways doesn't It? or we are giving that up too?
I completely agree with this. If an employer wants to ask about my personal life, its none of their god damn business.
If people are really bothered it's not that much work to just set up an extra "clean" account with any social network service. That said I think it's overly intrusive.
At the point where employers ask to see my Facebook, is the point where I delete it. I talk crap, the last credible thing i posted on there was about organising some uni work last Wednesday and going out for a drink friday.
The other 99% is locats, meme's or youtube videos.
It's literally there for that 1% of the time when i cant be bothered to call someone and when i bored and feel the need to harass a friend with randomness.
So if a employer decides that's how I will act in a workplace, there right. The problem is I'm getting first class honours while doing it.
We should all call swizz once this birthday thread shows up.
I agree with that for the most part, but what if this person regularly posts obscenely racist comments on their Facebook? There are a ton of people who do that and most of them aren't joking. Most recently a lot of people were responding saying characters being black in The Hunger Games ruined the movie for them, even though they're described with darker skin in the books. There's hundreds of people posting shit like that every day on public accounts. I'm not sure if that should factor into if they're employed or not, but it certainly shows something about their character and personality, and those are traits I would think many employers would pay attention to when looking at who to hire.
That being said, I have no problem with people not being hired based on things available to the public on facebook or other Internet outlets - so long as those things aren't discriminating in ways that are illegal. But I mean really, someone seems like a douche every time they post an update? Sounds like a douche you probably shouldn't hire.
ELABORATE PLZ
Do you know who knows your private life on the facebook Japhir?
EDIT: Sorry, let me rephrase it, Do you know who owns your facebook profile doesnt matter how private it is?
I treat my online behaviour especially when im using real name : just like I do in real life, so nothing to lose.
well the issue is they are asking for your username and password
thats a bit way too weird tho lol too obvious for everyone to say no, he should write something a bit more realistic and hard question:
an IT or game company need you to install app in ur facebook.
my answer will always be NO.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/facebook/facebook-legal-action-against-employers-asking-for-your-password/10768
If they told me that if I did not they would pass for someone else, I would tell them fine and good luck in there future endeavors. An interview is a two way street here people. To many people forget that you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you, to deiced if that company is the right fit for you.
Also in terms of who can see my profile like my current friends/family/ and co-workers I am friends with, I couldn't care less, I am who I am and wont change that because people might not agree with any opinion I have or what I do in my free time. Everyone has there own damn opinions and people seriously need to grow the fuck up and realize that not everyone is like you, everyone is different. Expect for possibly Clone Troopers, but even then some of them are higher ranking offers then others!
1. Employers (or ANYONE for that regard) doing so behind people's back via "proxy spies" that add to your facebook list or friends' list.
2. OTHER people taking pictures of you putting them online without you knowing it ("Oh come on - it's just a picture don't be like that! Paranoid idiot!").
I have control over what I put online about myself. Yet it's way more difficult to control what others put online about you. Especially if you're like me and simply don't have a facebook account.
Sometimes you simply don't want things you do or say to get blown all over the internet. So you either have the option to get an account for any SocialSite out there where people might post about you and search the photos yourself to filter out.
It might still be exaggerated seeing things like this for now but imagine it and take your pick. :-/
That reminds me, my former CEO told me about people who apparently create fake accounts on forums and more to blacken rivals' names. Has anybody had any experience with this?