Should employers be allowed to check on social networking sites before hiring you?

[Ace]

Absolutely not, what does that have to do with good qualification and moral conduct.

[Huh? Take XII]

For my job it wouldn't matter. They had to do a thorough background check on me for my security clearance verifying where I had lived my whole life, who I was employed by previously and where my immediate family lived. So they dug deeper than anything they could find on facebook. So I think they call look all they want on those sites.

[steepanimal985]

Personally, I think it's creepy. Managers expect employees to be professional and not mix business with pleasure. And yet this is really crossing a line. What a person does outside of the work place is their business. I have seen articles about these divorced middle aged guys hiring young employees and then asking their employees to be their friend on Facebook. Some employees that refuse, well guess what, we don't need you anymore. So then the guy is trolling his employees Facebook, sending invites to his employee's girlfriend. I am not making this up, I saw this in a news article. This guy is like 57 years old and is trying to pick up his 22 year old employee's girl friend, as well as other 18-22 year old girls on his employee's Facebook.
It is definitely unethical and may possibly be illegal.
I really don't see what they are "checking" except with the older guys in the office are checking out the young girls, either the female job applicants, their friends, and the girl friends of the male applicants. No need of it and it's creepy.
They have enough information. Your full social security number, drug tests, former employer's references, etc. Checking out to see who your friends are should not be part of the hiring process. It is completely unprofessional and just another way for older men to find young girls.

[Ravencalls]

Noooo.. no no..no..


dats P R I V A T E stuff..

[356,200]

No, they shouldn't.

[Anthony G]

As long as you post it, it is fair game. I think the rule of thumb is that if you would be ashamed of it, don't post it.

You have a right to your opinions, but as with religion and sexual preference, your views on political parties should not be a determining factor of being hired for a job. If you can't prove that your potential employer made the decision not to hire you because of your risque Halloween costume, then you can't complain. You might want to think twice before you post something that may be inappropriate, though.

There are plenty of privacy settings if you want to contribute some non-PC materials.

[Iratepleasure714]

Simple, it is in the public domain. Fools' names and fools' faces are always seen in public places. If you don't want it known, don't put it in a public place. It is an insight into one's judgment and how this judgment could reflect on one's ability to represent an employer.

[_Ashley_]

Why shouldn't they?

[Collin E]

If you make it public, they would see it.

[Redboy]

No,

That would be a very bad thing.
Once the data is on the internet you don't have any control over it anymore. So something you say or feel today will come back to you over 5 or 10 years later when you might think completely different about that subject...but "they"are still holding you to what you "ever in the past" said about it...People change so their opinion too...

-R