6 ms·

Here’s what I said the last time around: First, I consider this the equivalent of asking to record conversations I have with my friends. If you as an employer

• gxs 15y ago
  This may work for you now, and I stand my ground the same way, the reason this is so alarming is because eventually, EVERY employer may ask this and then you simply won't have a choice. I am curious, however, what will happen to people who really don't have a facebook. I've never had an account, would they believe me or assume I deleted it?
  • AlexandrB 15y ago
    > This may work for you now, and I stand my ground the same way, the reason this is so alarming is because eventually, EVERY employer may ask this and then you simply won't have a choice. At that point I delete my Facebook account and never look back.
    • stavrianos 15y ago
      This is the correct solution.
    • bilbo0s 15y ago
      It's never gone though... As soon as you apply for a job that is high level or sensitive enough, that information will be part of the dossier they review. Depending what is in your FB, or any other comment history you may have, it MIGHT be wise to keep that FB. Lest they think you were trying to hide something.
      • joejohnson 15y ago
        I have a FB profile. I don't post status updates or even articles. I have only the profile picture, no albums. I constantly refine my privacy settings to the strictest possible. Nobody can tag me in photos, etc. Nobody can see me wall (even friends). I need a FB account for work. When FB inevitably becomes so invasive that people begin to panic and delete their profiles, I can safely delete (deactivate) mine. FB may keep all of my data, hopefully I won't have given them anything that isn't worthless. I think the only safe policy is to refrain entirely from adding any information to the system; you may never get it back. Even seemingly innocuous status updates and public conversations could look suspicious/unprofessional/embarrassing later on.
        • w1ntermute 15y ago
          > I need a FB account for work. If you don't mind me asking, why do you need an FB account for work, especially when it sounds like you don't even use it?
          • verelo 15y ago
            Same situation, i needed one for work. Worked @ a social media management company...Facebook doesnt like "Fake accounts" so maintaining a real one for work, for the purpose of testing was something you needed to do. Its a real pain in the ass, mixes personal and work way too much. I had a Facebook account already, and i still do, so i didn't mind too much....but i dislike the left overs its causes (installed apps, pages in my name, app keys in my name etc...although this was just due to poor management of these assets)
          • joejohnson 15y ago
            I receive occasional announcements and event invitations through FB groups. Sadly, this is the only way my company chooses to disseminate some information.
      • learc83 15y ago
        >high level or sensitive enough If you apply for a job that is sensitive enough, they are already going to completely rifle through your personal life.
    • madmaze 15y ago
      The issue is that even if you delete your facebook account, its technically not deleted by FB, just "marked" as deleted. Your employer may not have the power to access those "deleted" records, but there are parties out their that do have access, i.e. Governments and such
      • deleted 15y ago
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        • georgieporgie 15y ago
          And if they do want it, there's probably a damn good reason anyways. Given some of the silliness engaged by the government (e.g. placing a GPS tracker on a Muslim Redditor's car, supposedly because of a comment on Reddit), I don't think we can really take that statement as correct. :-)
          • deleted 15y ago
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  • waterlesscloud 15y ago
    I expect legislative action on this if it becomes too popular. Legislation Facebook should back if they have an ounce of brains.
    • bh42222 15y ago
      I expect a lot of things too, but I never cease to be surprised by the world we live in. Consider that as popular as Facebook is, it is still mostly popular for younger people, who vote less than older people. Consider how easy it is to convince the government to end almost any right or freedom if you mention security/terrorism. Consider that while this might become an election issue, it almost certainly won't be the election issue. The economy, abortion, and all the other old standbys, will be the votes that really matter to an elected politician, not a vote, or lack of a vote, either way on facebook. Consider that once this violation of privacy becomes status quo, it becomes 100x harder to roll it back. I expect a lot of things, but I would not be surprised if this forced access to friend only level of information on facebook becomes the norm.
    • tedunangst 15y ago
      Did you read the article? There already is.
  • deleted 15y ago
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  • bh42222 15y ago
    I am curious, however, what will happen to people who really don't have a facebook. I've never had an account, would they believe me or assume I deleted it? Diligently create a facebook "version" of yourself which appears to be a great worker/student/whatevertheywant? I mean you can fight the system, but sabotaging it is so much more fun.
    • herge 15y ago
      Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie - The Privacy Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eIUOUfhoJ8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eIUOUfhoJ8
    • geon 15y ago
      Actually a great idea. Have your friends create one too, and you'll have a complete clean, employable, social graph.
      • bh42222 15y ago
        Isn't that really what LinkedIn is? Which is why no one asks you for your LinkedIn password.
        • lrobb 15y ago
          ftw! "Put it all together and I think we all now see the fundamental utility of LinkedIn — it’s the one place where you can demonstrate how honest, decent and accomplished you are, even if you have to lie and cheat to do it." http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/humor/work-daze/linkedout.html http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/humor/work-daze/li...
      • fl3tch 15y ago
        The savvier kids have been maintaining multiple Facebook accounts for years: one where they friend their parents, family, church pastor, etc., and the other (under a pseudonym) where they have fun. It's like the social equivalent of a TrueCrypt hidden volume. Plausible deniability is the name of the game.
  • pyoung 15y ago
    >...the reason this is so alarming is because eventually, EVERY employer may ask this and then you simply won't have a choice. At that point, I would start my own company, we wouldn't check Facebook accounts (and would let people know this) and we would have a line out the door of job applicants who want their privacy respected.
    • mwd_ 15y ago
      What if you worked in some sort of regulated, specialized industry and were unable to set up your own company? What if you worked in one organization for a long time, built up seniority and benefits, and suddenly they changed their rules and you had to either quit or let them view your private accounts? It seems to me that this is clearly the sort of thing that should be illegal because there is a huge imbalance in terms of bargaining power in these situations.
  • lrobb 15y ago
    I can see it now... Introducing facebook background searches! For a low fee of $2499, fb will comb through your prospective employee's postings and alert you of any trouble spots!
  • InclinedPlane 15y ago
    No choice? Screw that. You burn them to the ground and you start new in the goddamned jungle.
  • raganwald 15y ago
    Eventually, EVERY employer may ask this and then you simply won't have a choice Two hours later, here is what I sincerely suggest you say: The people I interact with have an expectation of privacy around the things they share on FB with me, or even the fact that we know each other. When I come to work here, you will have certain expectations about my discretion and ability to respect the company’s need for privacy and my co-worker’s needs for privacy by not sharing things I see, hear, or are privy to with a third party, even—or especially—if I am offered a financial inducement such as an attractive offer of employment with a company I respect. I therefore ask you to recognize that I am giving my friends and family the exact same expectation of privacy that you can reply on from me once I join your firm. I don’t think that’s smarmy or righteous, it’s just good old-fashioned golden rule stuff, and you are demonstrating your integrity. There will be a certain number of companies who ask to shoulder-surf your facebook, and I will guess that some of them will back down if you say those words to them and mean it. JM2C, of course, I am not qualified to give career advice.
    • deleted 15y ago
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    • zukhan 15y ago
      Is this a joke? Do you guys expect all or even a significant number of employers asking to look through your FB accounts? For developers, the job market is super hot right now; companies are fighting for talent, not the other way around. I don't see this as a problem we'll have to worry about in the foreseeable future.
    • deleted 15y ago
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  • ww520 15y ago
    > EVERY employer may ask this and then you simply won't have a choice. Pretty sure a few well placed class action lawsuits would cure this practice. /sarcasm
  • johngalt 15y ago
    You need to acknowledge and own the power you have to tell assholes to go pound sand (phrased nicely like OP of course). Learn it early and practice often. If you produce value then the employer has more to lose than you do. If every employer demanded this I would have the easiest choice in the world. Start my own company and not ask to read my employees personal communications.
  • drcube 15y ago
    This is the case with drug tests currenty, in a lot of industries. Submit to a wholesale invasion of privacy or don't work. I understand Silicon Valley is pretty hip and savvy, but this is the reality for blue collar industrial jobs, retail, government work and, perhaps in the near future, welfare. Drugs are about as easy to quit as Facebook for some people...
    • efsavage 15y ago
      A former employer of mine supposedly mulled drug testing, but abandoned the idea when they realized they would no longer have a creative department. On a more serious note, it seems to be that drug testing is only required where physical safety is compromised by drugs, like drivers, warehouse workers, etc. Similar to how people who have direct responsibility of money may have to undergo credit checks. Properly managed, these seems like acceptable precautions to me. I've never been asked to take one, nor would I submit to one for a software development job, despite being drug-free. I am having trouble coming up with a legitimate need that an employer would have for a facebook account password, short of someone who has a high level security clearance where phone taps and surveillance are also to be expected.
  • coffeemug 15y ago
    This is a non-story. They cite a couple of examples in the article, but the headline makes a completely unwarranted leap of induction to "employers and colleges across the country". I bet there are more cases every year of "employers and colleges across the country" who ask applicants to strip naked as a prerequisite for a job offer. Even if we take this argument to a logical conclusion where every employer will eventually feel compelled to do this, this would destroy the value proposition of Facebook entirely. It would effectively turn Facebook into LinkedIn. If it can't be used for fun, people won't use it, which is entirely against Facebook's interests (which means they'll adjust the privacy policy and sue offending employers). The idea that this is a serious phenomenon gets clicks, but it has no legs to stand on.
• jacques_chester 15y ago
  It may indeed be the case that communications issued through "friends only" might give rise to findings of "confidence" -- you'd be on the hook for breaking confidences. (IANAL, TINLA)
• rhizome 15y ago
  You don't even have to go that far. IIRC, Facebook Terms prohibit password-sharing.
• antihero 15y ago
  > then we know where we stand and I will be over here working with someone else. Hah, do you think for a huge amount of people simply getting a different job is really that easy? The working class of the US is completely on the ropes, they are told to take any job they can get because they are so desperate for work. It's nice, as a privileged person being able to go up yours I'll keep my dignity and my rights, but the impoverished and desperate do not have that luxury unless they want to starve.
  • electromagnetic 15y ago
    Facebooks ToS prohibits password sharing. Only the media accounts they give out can be used by multiple people. You could simply list the accounts your employer was using and Facebook would nail them. Also simply give a fake facebook account with a few fake contacts for your friends and family. Most people are too stupid that they wouldn't recognize the inactive accounts as fakes.