Would you give your employer your FB password?

jemmini6 · March 2012

So apparently there's a new trend that employers interviewing potential employees are asking for their FB passwords so that they can get a 'full' impression of that person. Luckily, lawmakers and FB are trying to ban that practice (clicky), but I just can't believe employers think they have the right to this info to begin with.

What would you do in an interview if you were asked for your social media passwords?

Would how much you wanted (or needed) the job influence your decision?

swhite2012 · March 2012

I read about that somewhere. I think it is complete crap. Yes, you shouldn't have anything on your profile that you wouldn't want a prospective employer to see, but they have absolutely no right to ask for your personal password. They would never ask for the password to you email account, bank accounts, etc...

I would be taken aback if I was asked that. If it was a great job, I'm not sure how I would react because I would probably still want to consider the job and wouldn't wanted to be discriminated against for not providing the info. I would probably say something like "I don't feel comfortable sharing that information, but I can show you whatever you would like while I am present."

bethsmiles · March 2012

No. No. No. I would never give my FB password to a potential employer. IMO my personal life is not their business. If I was asked for it I would politely decline stating that I was not comfortable divulging such personal information.

Also, in another article I read about this it pointed out that giving out your password is against the terms that you agree to when you sign up for FB.

deburnin · March 2012

I'd have no qualms about lying and saying I don't have a FB account. Unless you're a friend of a friend you can't find me anyway. I would also change my last name to my middle name like a lot of my teacher friends did if it came down to it.

If I really wanted/needed the job, I might give them the password to my "junk" FB account. I set it up when I was playing the FB games like FarmVille and I use it now to sign up for coupons instead of having my newsfeed taken over by companies. But I think it's BS that companies are even thinking to do it. What I do on my personal time is none of your business.

The sad thing is so many people are desperate for jobs, I can see people doing it willingly. Hopefully a law gets passed soon.

jorja86 · March 2012

I'm so glad facebook is taking this to court. I think it's absolutely ridiculous. My employer really doesn't need to be worried about what I'm doing on my own time, or what I did when I was in college.

I honestly don't know what I would say if they asked for my password. I'd probably be so shocked that I wouldn't be able to say much of anything. I don't think I'd give to them though.

If this became a common, accepted practice, I'd probably create a separate, work appropriate facebook profile and give out the password to that.

swhite2012 · March 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_would-you-give-your-employer-your-fb-password?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:b2d9d937-8327-4e56-89e1-4f3ac39444c0Post:67cc42b8-0f56-405c-8f9f-cced96f75e54">Re: Would you give your employer your FB password?</a>:
[QUOTE]I'd have no qualms about lying and saying I don't have a FB account. Unless you're a friend of a friend you can't find me anyway. I would also change my last name to my middle name like a lot of my teacher friends did if it came down to it. If I really wanted/needed the job, I might give them the password to my "junk" FB account. I set it up when I was playing the FB games like FarmVille and I use it now to sign up for coupons instead of having my newsfeed taken over by companies. But I think it's BS that companies are even thinking to do it. What I do on my personal time is none of your business. The sad thing is so many people are desperate for jobs, I can see people doing it willingly. Hopefully a law gets passed soon.
Posted by deburnin[/QUOTE]

<div>I would never lie about it or try to hide it. That could always come back to bite you in the butt. I really do hope a law gets passed though. People shouldn't have to be put in that situation.</div>

deburnin · March 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_would-you-give-your-employer-your-fb-password?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:b2d9d937-8327-4e56-89e1-4f3ac39444c0Post:4ddc5848-3074-4a12-a557-629fb71c3cb3">Re: Would you give your employer your FB password?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Would you give your employer your FB password? : I would never lie about it or try to hide it. That could always come back to bite you in the butt. I really do hope a law gets passed though. People shouldn't have to be put in that situation.
Posted by swhite2012[/QUOTE]

<div>Yeah, you're probably right. But that was my first reaction when I heard about it. Kind of like you want to ask me a bullshit question like that, I'm going to give you a bullshit answer.</div>

tdwpg1984 · March 2012

What I do on my own time is my business, not my employer's. If a potential employer demanded my facebook password, I'd say "Yeah, no, this interview is over." I don't have anything to hide, but that's a pretty serious invasion of privacy. If they do that when you're going through the hiring process, what are they going to do after they hire you? Ask for a house key so they can check up on you at home? Would they want your e-mail passwords so they can check out what sort of e-mails you're sending? Would they be checking your cell phone on a regular basis?

I suppose I'm luck that my city's economy is doing well and I don't think I'd have a hard time finding a job if I were to lose my job tomorrow, plus my BF makes enough money that if I lost my job he could support us both while I looked for work and we wouldn't have to give up too many luxuries.

loves2shop4shoes · March 2012

Never. Under any circumstances.

That's too much of an invasion of privacy.

jemmini6 · March 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_would-you-give-your-employer-your-fb-password?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:b2d9d937-8327-4e56-89e1-4f3ac39444c0Post:2e81006a-1b99-43fc-beda-1debdf94a3bb">Re: Would you give your employer your FB password?</a>:
[QUOTE]I read about that somewhere. I think it is complete crap. Yes, you shouldn't have anything on your profile that you wouldn't want a prospective employer to see, but they have absolutely no right to ask for your personal password. They would never ask for the password to you email account, bank accounts, etc... I would be taken aback if I was asked that. If it was a great job, I'm not sure how I would react because I would probably still want to consider the job and wouldn't wanted to be discriminated against for not providing the info. I would probably say something like <strong>"I don't feel comfortable sharing that information, but I can show you whatever you would like while I am present."</strong>
Posted by swhite2012[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't even do that. They have no right to see anything on my FB page. My social (as in AFTER work) life is none of their business.

I do like the point that FB brings up about it being potentially harmful to employers for having access to protected information like sexual orientation, religion, etc. If, for example, I was an athiest and had a few anti-religious articles posted on my wall, and found out that the boss is devout Catholic, how do I know that that's not the reason why they didn't hire me? At least in a typical interview, if I didn't get the job, I'd assume it was due to there being a better candidate for the job, but when they start getting personal information, how do you know their decision wasn't based on something they found on your page that they aren't legally allowed to ask in an interview?

melmac86 · March 2012

I hadn't heard of this. I find it very messed up and if an employer felt they had the right to intrude on my privacy, I wouldn't want to work for them anyway.

I'd never do this. My personal life and professional life are completely separate.

leia1979 · March 2012

I read an article about this the other day. To answer the question, hell no! It's none of their business. The line between work and home life is getting too blurry as it is with smartphones and such.

bethsmiles · March 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_would-you-give-your-employer-your-fb-password?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:b2d9d937-8327-4e56-89e1-4f3ac39444c0Post:7cf6fc49-ea27-49c5-a616-dc76fb250c5e">Re: Would you give your employer your FB password?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Would you give your employer your FB password? : I wouldn't even do that. <strong> They have no right to see anything on my FB page. My social (as in AFTER work) life is none of their business. </strong>I do like the point that FB brings up about it being potentially harmful to employers for having access to protected information like sexual orientation, religion, etc. If, for example, I was an athiest and had a few anti-religious articles posted on my wall, and found out that the boss is devout Catholic, how do I know that that's not the reason why they didn't hire me? At least in a typical interview, if I didn't get the job, I'd assume it was due to there being a better candidate for the job, but when they start getting personal information, how do you know their decision wasn't based on something they found on your page that they aren't legally allowed to ask in an interview?
Posted by jemmini6[/QUOTE]

Eye to eye, especially the bolded part.

doubleSS07 · March 2012

Under no circumstances would I give a "potential" employer my passwords for FB or anything else for that matter. What I do outside of work (as long as it is legal) is none of their business. Honestly no matter how bad I need the job, if that were asked I would tell them in the nicest way possible to go f**k themselves and end the interview. Could you imagine what working for a company that would have the gall to ask that would be like? No thank you! I'd rather work at a FF joint.

nmego · March 2012

Yeah, not a chance in hell.

polkadot111 · March 2012

If a company REALLY needed to read through all of my personal hidden messages... well then I wouldn't want to work for them anyways!

prbright · March 2012

I would never. I do not think that there is any right for an emloyer to go through your personal social networking site.

However, I do understand some cases where employers may feel it is necessary. Say, teachers for instance. Now, I'm not saying I agree but I do understand why some potential employers might want to do a check on an adult they were hiring to work in close interaction with young adults and children.

My brother had something like this happen to him when he was a student teacher. My brother is young, 23, and attractive. When he was student teaching he was called down tho the principals office, where they told him that one young girl was gossiping and rumored that she had been at a party where my brother was present, and that he had pictures on his facebook of him drinking. And of course the principal asked to see his FB. Luckily my brother had two solid reasons as to why this girl was lying. First -He was a college wrestler and doesn't drink or attend any parties during the season and Second- He didn't have a facebook acount at all, so there was no possible way they could go through it because it was nonexistent. Later the girl admitted that she had made it up.

There are some circumstances where I can understand why future employers would want access to your FB password. But for the most part, unless it was for a solid reason such as the thing that happened to my brother, I think it is a complete invasion of privacy.

kaitlynmichelle · March 2012

I`ve been thinking about this lately, since I`ll be looking for a job quite shortly (ski season ending). I don`t know what I would say if I was put on the spot, but I definetly wouldn't be ok with giving out that information. I've been considering taking a look at what is on there and deleting stuff anyway.

Plus today (some of you may have seen it) I posted a picture of my workplace with a big sinkhole due to melting snow. My manager's manager (dept. head) somehow found out and said I had to take it down immedietly. I don't know how he heard about it, and my boss didn't even care it was posted. So that sucked.

swhite2012 · March 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_would-you-give-your-employer-your-fb-password?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:b2d9d937-8327-4e56-89e1-4f3ac39444c0Post:3adcac81-a032-488d-b31b-b0b46883da50">Re: Would you give your employer your FB password?</a>:
[QUOTE]I`ve been thinking about this lately, since I`ll be looking for a job quite shortly (ski season ending). I don`t know what I would say if I was put on the spot, but I definetly wouldn't be ok with giving out that information. I've been considering taking a look at what is on there and deleting stuff anyway. Plus today (some of you may have seen it) I posted a picture of my workplace with a big sinkhole due to melting snow. My manager's manager (dept. head) somehow found out and said I had to take it down immedietly. I don't know how he heard about it, and my boss didn't even care it was posted. So that sucked.
Posted by kaitlynmichelle[/QUOTE]

<div>You work at a ski resort? That's awesome. Sometimes I think I want to just move out west to live/work at a ski resort and be ski bums. FI fully supports this idea!</div>

zipis1 · March 2012

I would not. The only way I may do so (and this is a big may), is if I was about one week from eviction with no other possible way to get some income and keep a roof over my family's heads. And then I'd change it as soon as I could and still continue to look for a (different) new job.

And i do think this is their way of finding out info that they're not allowed to ask about in an interview.

kaitlynmichelle · March 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_would-you-give-your-employer-your-fb-password?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:b2d9d937-8327-4e56-89e1-4f3ac39444c0Post:d2cdef43-66b3-4193-8c0f-81a633cec3df">Re: Would you give your employer your FB password?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Would you give your employer your FB password? : You work at a ski resort? That's awesome. Sometimes I think I want to just move out west to live/work at a ski resort and be ski bums. FI fully supports this idea!
Posted by swhite2012[/QUOTE]

<div>Yes, BF and I both are lift operators at a local ski hill. We did it last year too. Its pretty awesome getting a free pass, but it does take away from it being there everyday. I prefer skiing at other resorts at this point. </div><div>
</div><div>Although I love my job and I'm very sad its ending soon.</div>

Peaseblossom55 · March 2012

I have nothing to hide at all but no I would not give them my FB password. I work for such a huge company I doubt this would happen, but I hope that the law does get passed. Personal time is personal time and outside of anything illegal it shouldn't be there business what you do with it.

caitlin.cave · March 2012

Heck no. The only thing they can see with my password that they can't find just by searching for me is my personal messages, and there's NO good reason for them to be looking at that.

thejucheidea · March 2012

I'm already friends with my boss and coworkers, and since I don't block anything from friends on Facebook, I guess they already see everything there is to know about me. If corporate wanted to access my Facebook, however, no, I would not allow them to. I don't want them to know all about my life if they aren't part of it.

jemmini6 · March 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_would-you-give-your-employer-your-fb-password?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:b2d9d937-8327-4e56-89e1-4f3ac39444c0Post:9cf104f3-56cb-4ec0-93e5-9b63c0ed8d83">Re: Would you give your employer your FB password?</a>:
[QUOTE]I would never. I do not think that there is any right for an emloyer to go through your personal social networking site. However, I do understand some cases where employers may feel it is necessary. Say, teachers for instance. Now, I'm not saying I agree but I do understand why some potential employers might want to do a check on an adult they were hiring to work in close interaction with young adults and children. My brother had something like this happen to him when he was a student teacher. My brother is young, 23, and attractive. When he was student teaching he was called down tho the principals office, where they told him that one young girl was gossiping and rumored that she had been at a party where my brother was present, and<strong> that he had pictures on his facebook of him drinking. And of course the principal asked to see his FB.</strong> Luckily my brother had two solid reasons as to why this girl was lying. First -He was a college wrestler and doesn't drink or attend any parties during the season and Second- He didn't have a facebook acount at all, so there was no possible way they could go through it because it was nonexistent. Later the girl admitted that she had made it up. There are some circumstances where I can understand why future employers would want access to your FB password. But for the most part, unless it was for a solid reason such as the thing that happened to my brother, I think it is a complete invasion of privacy.
Posted by prbright[/QUOTE]

This is still an invasion of his privacy. He's 23, so he wouldn't have been doing anything illegal by drinking, and employers, regardless of if it's a school or not, still has no right to tell their employees what they can and can't do in their free time. I would understand if they said "We've heard from a student that you have some pictures of you drinking on your FB, can you please just make your pictures more private so students don't see them", but they still would have had no right to ask to see them. And even if he chose not to make those pictures private, it's still none of their business because he wasn't doing anything wrong.

Before FB, employers didn't have access to information about our social lives. Just because it's not online now, still doesn't give them a right, ever, to have access to it.

Would you give your employer your FB password?

Re: Would you give your employer your FB password?

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