Job Seekers Being Asked for Their Facebook Login Details During Interviews

By on April 1, 2012 in News 21

Facebook LoginDisturbing. Emma Barnett reports in the Telegraph:

Justin Bassett, a New York-based statistician, had just finished answering some standard character questions in a job interview, when he was asked to hand over his Facebook login information after his interviewer could not find his profile on the site, according to the Boston Globe.

Bassett refused and withdrew his job application, as he did not want to be employed by a business which would invade his privacy to such an extent.

And it’s not only job applicants, even people already on the job are being asked. More from the Telegraph:

While Lee Williams, an online retail worker from the Midlands, told The Telegraph that he was asked by his managing director for his Facebook login details, after his boss had looked him up on the social network and could not see any details about him as his privacy settings were locked down. The boss thought that Williams was hiding something by not having his profile publicly available.

Williams refused to hand his password over. His boss persisted with his request, but then let it go without taking any further action. Williams still works for the company, but did not wish to name it.

Continued in the Telegraph

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  • Waaa

    This is a violation of the privacy act 0f 1974. If someone asks you to do this take the request in WRITING and then walk it to a lawyer and sue them to death!

    • Heath

      I’m no lawyer, but doesn’t that act only apply to Federal agencies?

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EAPUJHWIYQJWKN7HUCSCVHKVTQ David Meadows

        Yes it does only apply to Federal Agencies.  However it seems with the Patriot Act and other government mandates, it practically makes the Privacy Act of 1974 useless.  

      • Douches

        No it doesn’t just apply to federal agencies before you both make comments read the effin law. I have used this act to threaten my own HR with success several times. READ BEFORE YOU COMMENT IGNORAMOUS

        • Heath

          k there to much coffee and reading to far into it. While you were threatening your “HR” we were asking questions. I did read the law and nowhere does it say it pertains to private company’s or corporations. I did also say I’m not a lawyer and phrased it in the form of a question. However just because you threaten your company for who knows what reasons, perhaps they saw your collection of child porn, doesn’t prove anything. either way  take it to the disinfo “HR” department .
          ie go fuck yourself..

        • Redacted

          Since you enjoy reading so much I think you should probably do it for us.

        • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EAPUJHWIYQJWKN7HUCSCVHKVTQ David Meadows

          A. Agency
          “any Executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch of the [federal] Government (including the Executive Office of the President), or any independent regulatory agency.” 5 U.S.C. § 552a(1) (incorporating 5 U.S.C. § 552(f) (2006), which in turn incorporates 5 U.S.C. § 551(1) (2006)).    Where does it say anything about Private Companies??? You need to read it and its definitions, IGNORAMUS.  Learn to use spell check.  The only way it applies to a private Corporations is if they are a regulatory agency or controlled by the government.  HR people are simply scared of the word Lawsuit no matter what the case is.http://www.justice.gov/opcl/1974privacyact-overview.htm

  • http://www.jaycob.co.nf/ Scruffy

    lol just tell them to join your website or server and don’t hash their password.

  • Marklar_Prime

    Good idea. I’ll be sure to ask them for their online banking login info in return just so I can be sure their not hiding anything , like not having sufficient funds on deposit in order to meet their payroll obligatio

  • Redacted

    Of course you can’t say you don’t have a Facebook account, because obviously you are lying as every single person on the planet has three. Even illiterate children in Somalia who have never seen or used a computer has a Facebook.

    • http://www.jaycob.co.nf/ Scruffy

      They make them sign up b4 they give out the noms :P

      • Redacted

        It wouldn’t surprise me.

    • fuck_facebook

      I don’t have a facebook page nor will I ever.  Never had a myspace or any of that crap, either.  If I want to have a relationship with you I’ll call you…and if I don’t call you, it’s because I don’t fucking like you.

      • Redacted

        I had a Myspace once upon a time, but I realized that all social networking is is narcissist masturbation.

        I have a fairly high opinion of myself, but I won’t make you suffer hearing about what my cat has been doing lately.

        To be honest, I’m so sure of how great I am that I don’t need to toot my own horn. I’ll let people who have met and dealt with me speak of what I am.

  • http://www.facebook.com/alexlowery Alex Lowery

    Would they like to know what color panties I’m wearing too?!?

    • Nyche

      No, but I would.

  • RoboKy

    Think they’d accept my Friendster account?

  • Anomaly_of_Anomie

    They can have my password on fuckbook instead. To qualify, applicants should be well-hung and eager to get uh… head.

  • Vincent Vega

    I don’t have a facebook account. OR a myspace, or anything else.  It is unprofessional to do so.    I don’t exist.

  • rtb61

    “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and
    effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated,
    and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or
    affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the
    persons or things to be seized.”
    That is the fourth amendment of the US constitution please not where it provides no exclusions for corporations or employers.
    Americans are gutless cowardly wimps who will bend over for anyone, who expect unknown others to defend their right and who routinely cower under threat of authority.
    Get asked for your login in and password to private information, don’t refuse, don’t walk out, ask for the request in writing and the sue the crap out of the bastard for infringement of your constitutional rights.

  • ideologist

    If a prospective employer asks for that information I have two answers:

    1. I’ll do it, if you can provide me with a written document that shows this is SOP for your company, and that your boss and HR dept knows about it

    and

    2. I have had my identity stolen and the police have told me to tell them if ANYONE asks for my personal information.  *pause* I’m sure that if this is written policy, you haven’t done anything wrong and you have nothing to worry about…

    and

    3. You don’t mind if I get your personal information and forward that to the fraud department, do you? After all, you’re just doing your job and you can prove it’s SOP….right?

    RIght?