Dear Prudie,
I work for a small nonprofit. My boss and I were discussing our
preparations for a critical daylong event with three high-level officers
from an influential foundation we are courting for funding. The event
will include a formal presentation of our work and informal time for
everyone to get to know each other. I mentioned to my boss that I
planned to do an Internet search and read everything I could not only
about the foundation but also about the officers, including their
professional history, current positions, any articles they have written,
etc. My boss was taken aback and suggested it was snooping and that I
could get into trouble if I revealed I had prior knowledge about them.
He insisted it was better to just be ourselves and let conversation
develop naturally. I countered that I saw the event as an interview, and
this is the type of preparation that I would do before any interview. I
did it to prepare for getting this job! Have I crossed some ethical
line with my Googling?