Will Facebook-ing Potential Employees Always Be Legal?

Facebook has helped millions of companies across the globe get the word out about their products and services in creative ways and has become one of the leading sites for online marketing and social media. However, the relationship between Facebook and companies is not loved by everyone. Many recent graduates are seen changing their Facebook names and blocking their profiles in fear that a job may see something unflattering such as alcohol or foul language. In many cases, another Facebook user can post a comment or tag a picture on another person’s wall. It is also not uncommon for a person, such as an employer, to be able to find a picture of a person through a friend of a friend of a friend. In other words, keeping your Facebook page suitable for a potential employer can be tiring and sometimes impossible.

If you are a business owner looking to hire an employee you have a big question to ask yourself: Should Facebook content matter when hiring? Does Facebook really give an accurate portrayal of a candidate? According to Oregon Business Report, “45% of employers reported in a recent CareerBuilder survey that they use social networking sites to research job candidates.” Most recent graduates would say yes, but there are a few reasons why Facebook screening is still legal and probably always will be:

Three Reasons why Facebook Scanning Will Always Be Legal

1. Picture Control
2. Writing Does Not Lie
3. Blocking Features

Ultimately the argument comes down to user control. As hard as it may be, through all the twists and turns, loopholes, and hoops a user may have to jump through, a user does have control over what makes it to Facebook (but hopefully for most this isn’t so difficult!)

Guest Bio: Amanda DiSilvestro writes for an online resource that gives advice on topics including digital security systems to small businesses and entrepreneurs at Resource Nation.

Comments

[David Stillwagon]

I would imagine that a lot of employers are searching all the social media sites for information. That shouldn't be a real problem if you take time to think before posting any pictures or making any particular comments.

[Alex Dogliotti]

That's all true, however I believe the fundamental point is quite different. The question is: are our private lives going to be as separate from our working lives as it was in the past? How technology contributes to join those two (or keep them separated) is quite up for debate. There is a clear tendency determined by technological capabilities and social media to mix one with the other. Mainstream career articles are still there debating whether the blackberry is good for your private life or not, when in reality you have no private life. You have ONE life, in which every day you make choices, i.e. whether working from home or not today, talking to your daughter on skype from the office etc...Once a friend working in another country had his xmas dinner in front of his family on skype! From the office! My point is, boundaries are going down and facebook contributed a lot to that. Maybe we're all walking a path where your public persona and your private one will be the same.

[Amanda DiSilvestro]

Alex, I love what you said about having ONE life, not two. I couldn't agree more. Writing this article was difficult because there are so many levels to think about when it comes to this subject. It is true, our personal and our workplace lives have been kept separate for many years, and social media is starting to blend these two lines. It is a good thing that soon your private live and your public persona will be the same? I'm not too sure, which is why I find this topic so fascinating!