Imagine this: you’re on your way to a job interview, safe in the knowledge that even though your prospective employer has probably been Googling you like a machine, there’s no way they can see anything you don’t want them to. You’ve double-checked your privacy settings, so you know your Twitter rants and crazy Facebook photos are safe from the interviewer’s prying eyes. Until you walk into their office and they ask for your username and password.
No, this is not a nightmare; this is apparently becoming a common practice. And it’s not just employers — universities and government departments are also interested in a quick creep around your profile. Apparently, correctional facilities justify this by saying they need to check you’re not affiliated with any gangs. Um, really?
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Technically, giving someone else your username and password violates Facebook’s terms of service along with your privacy — and Facebook doesn’t approve. It’s particularly problematic considering that you (hopefully?) have friends or followers, who have given you access to their updates. Now they can be unknowingly stalked by your prospective employer. According to this infographic, some companies even make applicants accept a friend request from a member of staff, so they can monitor their activity online.
Would you say no, if you really needed or wanted the job?
Infographic courtesy of Background Check
