It seems that a growing number of colleges and employers are demanding people's social media passwords when they apply.
This includes demanding that applications write usernames and passwords down on applications. Not only is this a violation of privacy, but it actively endangers people. What if those applications fall into the wrong hands?
Or what is to stop somebody who doesn't like an applicant posting porn to their wall?
Additionally, it violates terms of use agreements:
Facebook: You will not share your password, (or in the case of developers, your secret key), let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account.
Linkedin: (1) Keep your password secure and confidential; (2) not permit others to use your account; (3) refrain from using other Users’ accounts;
Twitter: You are responsible for safeguarding the password that you use to access the Services
Google Plus doesn't have it, but that's because some employers use Google accounts to provide free employee email.
So. Technically. If you comply with a potential employer's request for your Facebook password, you could be banned from Facebook. If you don't, they won't hire you.
I didn't look at any smaller sites or at Myspace and Pinterest, but I think this sums it up. Unfortunately, if you've been looking for work for months and its take this job or starve on the streets...what can you do?
This is both immoral and improper, to say nothing of a fundamental violation of one's right to privacy. Legal precedent needs to be set as soon as possible to forbid corporations (and non-corporate employers, but I gather this is a mostly corporate practice) from infringing upon the rights of individuals--they're doing it more, and more, and more, and more....
ReplyDeleteIt's colleges too. College athletes are being told if they don't friend a coach, they don't get to play.
ReplyDeleteWhat somebody says to their friends should not be a problem. Now, if somebody's social media stream is full of, say, publicly posted bad pornography, then...but they don't need to violate somebody's privacy to see that kind of thing.