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It surprised me much more to know that there are databases maintained by the likes of Equifax about persons' complete employment history, job titles and all...

by piva00 5y ago

It surprised me much more to know that there are databases maintained by the likes of Equifax about persons' complete employment history, job titles and all... I think GDPR here in Europe really woke up the feeling that this kind of data shouldn't exist without explicit approval from the person which PII belongs to. This is beyond fucked up in my data privacy minded worldview.

stuff4ben 5y ago
Exactly right! There is PII data out there that refers to us but we can't access and can't correct and can't deny the use of to others. This seems like a pretty big privacy thing that needs to be corrected.
thfuran 5y ago
Equifax has way more than just employment history.
jtbayly 5y ago
Ok, but let’s back it up one step. Am I (a random internet guy) allowed to call the company you claim you currently work for on LinkedIn, and ask them whether you work there in such and such a position? Can I ask them how much they pay you? Sure, I can ask, but can they answer? Is all or some of that really privileged information? There are two parties in your employment, and both own the information. Are you prohibited from telling others you work there or how much they pay you? If not, why would the employer be prohibited from telling others?
- yebyen 5y ago
  There's an entire sea of difference between confirming or refuting a fact of employment that has been put forward during a hiring process, as part of a screen, and sharing everything with anyone who asks, including those shady characters over there who asked every employer to share everything about everyone simultaneously because their business is about building a database and selling access to it. That being said, if the employers actually benefit (even in a collusive way) from sharing that information in such a manner, I'm not sure how to argue that they shouldn't be able to do that.
yebyen 5y ago
I'm with you. As an American, my data is bought and sold before I'm even old enough to sign papers legally consenting. I don't like it and I want it to stop.

by piva00 5y ago

stuff4ben 5y ago

Exactly right! There is PII data out there that refers to us but we can't access and can't correct and can't deny the use of to others. This seems like a pretty big privacy thing that needs to be corrected.

thfuran 5y ago

Equifax has way more than just employment history.

jtbayly 5y ago

Ok, but let’s back it up one step. Am I (a random internet guy) allowed to call the company you claim you currently work for on LinkedIn, and ask them whether you work there in such and such a position? Can I ask them how much they pay you? Sure, I can ask, but can they answer? Is all or some of that really privileged information? There are two parties in your employment, and both own the information. Are you prohibited from telling others you work there or how much they pay you? If not, why would the employer be prohibited from telling others?

yebyen 5y ago
There's an entire sea of difference between confirming or refuting a fact of employment that has been put forward during a hiring process, as part of a screen, and sharing everything with anyone who asks, including those shady characters over there who asked every employer to share everything about everyone simultaneously because their business is about building a database and selling access to it. That being said, if the employers actually benefit (even in a collusive way) from sharing that information in such a manner, I'm not sure how to argue that they shouldn't be able to do that.

yebyen 5y ago

I'm with you. As an American, my data is bought and sold before I'm even old enough to sign papers legally consenting. I don't like it and I want it to stop.