‘Want a job? What’s your Facebook password?’
July 6, 2009 by Sam NarisiPosted in: Applicant background screening, Online recruiting, Special Report
This employer’s taken the concept of online background checks to a new level.
Candidates applying for jobs with the city of Bozeman, Montana, are asked to list “any and all” Web sites, chat rooms and social networking groups they use (”including but not limited to Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc.”) — along with their usernames and passwords.
Many hiring managers Google applicants’ names or look for them on Facebook, but actually logging in to their personal profiles is something new entirely.
Why does Bozeman want that access? According to city attorney Greg Sullivan, it’s “to make sure the people that we hire have the highest moral character and are a good fit for the city,” The Consumerist reports.
Sullivan also said the city doesn’t look at “the things that the federal Constitution lists as protected things” (whatever that means).
The story drew a lot of attention and outcry from the media, potential Bozeman employees and HR pros. That’s not surprising, considering there’s a debate going on about whether hiring managers should even look at candidates’ profiles, let alone obtain log-in information.
Apparently all the press got the city rethinking that part of the application. In a recent press release, Bozeman announced it will “suspend its practice of reviewing candidates’ password protected internet information until the City conducts a more comprehensive evaluation of the practice.”
What do you think? Did the public overreact to Bozeman’s hiring practice, or was the negative response justified?
Should social networking profiles play any role in the background check process at all?
Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
View all the Latest StoriesTags: Bozeman, Montana, passwords, social networking
July 7th, 2009 at 9:59 am
I don’t see anything wrong with looking at the public portion of a profile that is available.
What *IS* wrong is supplying them with usernames and passwords to private accounts. This is not only a violation of privacy, it is a violation of the Terms of Service of many of these services to do so.
July 8th, 2009 at 10:59 am
I guess I should give them the keys to my house and let them search all the closets too!
August 19th, 2009 at 9:32 am
This is absolutely insane. I agree with Sean Smith. If you have access to a profile because your searched it that’s fine. Privacy is privacy, and according to the Terms of Service for most of these site you are asked not to share your login information and everyone agrees to these terms.
I don’t even share passwords with spouse or best friends. As it is you are authorizing HR to look into your background once you are hired, looking into the personal private lives has nothing to do with them doing a good job at their new employers place of business.
This is big brother (government) type stuff that is not really thought about and how much trouble the governemnt can get themselves into. Employers trying to have one more thing to hold over their peoples head.
Get a life!
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:25 pm
People need to get real. If you want a really great position then you need to reflect on who you are, and what you do in your life. If you have something to hide, then you probably are not the candidate for a really great position.
This all comes down to choices, and that doesn’t seem to be very popular with the PC community. The activities that you involve yourself in, reflect back on you. If you can’t take the heat then get out fo the kitchen!