6 to 20% employers look up your social networking page
If you’re applying to a job, you may want to take the time to think about what your social media profiles could be coming across as. In some cases, it’s not necessary for employers to ask for your social network profiles, but in many cases they do. Regardless of their reasoning and legality of requesting profiles, studies show that 6-20% of people looked up one or more employees on social media during their application process. So if/when you are selected for an interview or hired by a company, either way there is always the chance that your personal profile pops up in conversation with a potential employer.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/19/6-to-20-of-employers-take-a-peek-at-your-social-media-profile/#4730313fe3b1
While some may see this as a great way to vet candidates, others are worried that this process could be discriminatory, and in most cases, not legal. In some states employers are allowed to ask for Facebook passwords, but in most cases it is illegal for them to look up your personal information without your permission. There was a case where an employer asked for a password, but also offered the employee $5,000 to do so.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/Identity-Presumption-in-Employment
The main concern is that by asking for a password, employers could be violating your privacy. What happens to the information that they are given? How long are they permitted to keep it for, and how do you protect your own personal information from being released in this way? Facebook has made these issues more public and has urged application seekers not to give up their passwords unless it is absolutely necessary. You can find their full policies on their website at: http://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=474054968719185
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/19/6-to-20-of-employers-take-a-peek-at-your-social-media-profile/#4730313fe3b1
http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/Identity_Presumption_in_Employment
Article Source:
CIO, 11 Nov 2012
Title: Employer monitoring (Facebook, Twitter) of employees' online activities not permitted under current laws in most states...
S.P., 06 Nov 2012
Citing the recent Facebook privacy debacle, employers are advised to tread carefully and take care not to violate employees’ rights under current laws in most states . . . .
Title: Technology, employment, and privacy law update #186: Employer monitoring (Facebook, Twitter) of employees' online activities not permitted under current laws in most states
http://www.sociallypulsed.com/2012/11/technology-employment-and-privacy-law-update-186-employer-monitoring-(facebook,-twitter)-of-.html
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2012/november/election_cyber_011112
http://www.facebook.com/notes/protect-the-graph/protecting-your-information-from-being-used-for-surveillance/473923641630761?v=app_1605167963&ref=search
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/?p=2662
http://epicprivacy.fb, 6 Nov 2012
http://techcrunch.com/, 09 Nov 2012
http://techcrunch.com/, 09 Nov 2012
http://techcrunch.com/, 09 Nov 2012
http://www.fastcompany.com/300490/how-facebook-and-employers-can-get-your-personal-online-data
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/business/27facebook.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=online%20perception&st=cse
http://zdnet.com/article_petermayer_facebook_privacy_update/?page=0,4
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/?p=2662
http://blogworkopolis.blogspot.com/2011/05/snoop-dogg-wrong-on-employers-asking.html
http://www.shanahanlawfirm.com/sptsi11282010.pdf
http://www.esmas.com/?do=/blog/view/cabot-and-cohen_v_harbor_insurance#sthash.j6tHwIa8.dpuf
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/26/BACN201019260.DTL
http://www.examiner.com/article/facebook-employer-employee-privacy
http://digitalmediawire.com/?p=11970
https://books.google. com/books?id=t9XSZCpV_kUC&pg=PR3&lpg=PR3&dq=facebook+employer+privacy+law&source=bl&ots=NDIk-GK5g5&sig=yQ2iaHG34iRvU6XitofFWZquc3qg#v=onepage&q=facebook%20employer%20privacy%20law&f=false
http://www.theladders.com/2010/04/18/7-things-to-know-about-your-employers-right-to-look
https://blogs.forbes.com/danschawbel/2011/02/08/10-reasons-why-employers-shouldnt-care-about-your-facebook-page/?boxes=Homepage%7CFeatures%7CCoverStory1
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=474054968719185
http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/11/sixteen-percent-of-employers-looked-upprospective employees social media pages, study finds
http://www.huffingtonpost.
Conclusion:
Employers should protect the privacy of their employees' personal information and refrain from asking for access to their Facebook accounts.
https://books.google.com/books?id=t9XSZCpV_kUC&pg=PR3&lpg=PR3&dq=facebook+employer+privacy+law&source=bl&ots=NDIk-GK5g5&sig=yQ2iaHG34iRvU6XitofFWZquc3qg#v=onepage&q=facebook%20employer%20privacy%20law&f=false
http://www.sfgate..