It’s been a trending story for years that employers have been known to look at the public Facebook profiles of applicants as part of their decision process. Now, though, it seems the new trend is taking that a whole step further, as some employers and even colleges are asking for completely unfiltered access to the entire account.
Such was the subject of an expose on MSNBC.com, which found that, as an example, the Maryland Department of Corrections asks potential new employees to log into their Facebook account during in-person interviews. In fact, the department used to ask for usernames and passwords before meeting anyone in person, but the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) leveled a complaint that forced that process to stop.
But that’s not the only example. Apparently it’s also becoming the norm for college athletes to “friend” their coach so he can see everything that the student is up to. Just how far will this go? Well, that may depend on legislation. Maryland and Illinois have both proposed laws that would prevent potential employers and universities from using Facebook to make their determinations. Until that happens, though, it’s completely fair game.
