Would you reveal your Facebook password for a job?

[MortgageQueen]

Story here

Sorry if this has already been posted. Came across this on a forum. . .thought you'd be interested regarding Facebook's reaction to all this.
I personally think it's a huge violation of one's right's and practically extortion. . might as well ask me for bank and medical records too.


"The blue-hued social giant is reportedly considering taking legal action against organizations that are asking people for their logins. Facebook issued a statement saying this policy not only pokes holes in the “privacy expectations and the security of both the user and the user’s friends,” but if it continues, there could be “unanticipated legal liability” for those who adopt it. Then the social network pointed to a particular section of its Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, which states that sharing or soliciting passwords is a violation of its terms.
The company also made another good point: If a person is part of groups that identify his or her religious, political or sexual orientations, organizations could be vulnerable to accusations of discrimination for rejections based on social network profiling.
Whether that’s true or not probably doesn’t worry Facebook too much. What it is concerned about, though, is protecting the userbase. To that end, it has said it’s willing to take legal action, and even as far as “shutting down applications that abuse their privileges.”

[Darth Penguin]

Why might i do this? I am a teacher. As far as society is concerned, I am a teacher 24-7 and everything I do--whether it's done at work when I'm wearing my teacher shoes, whether it's in the community where I wear my running shoes and walk my dog or whether it's in my own back yard where I wiggle my bare feet in the grass- I am ALWAYS on display. My behaviors both in and out of the classroom are considered part of my "professionalism" so how I also conduct myself online is also up for grabs too.

That being said, I never, EVER post anything that I wouldn't want my boss (the school board), other colleagues, or my students to read.

I hate that attitude. A teacher is a person, not an automaton. The fact that some people think you have to act "correctly" all the time makes me wonder just how they see you.

There's a huge difference between a teacher rolling in drunk on a daily basis and meeting one while out in an adult only situation who's having a glass of wine or beer.

I had a teacher as a child (in 1970's) who became pregnant without the benefit of clergy. I remember how some of the parents were howling for her blood. I learnt some new words which didn't impress my parents......Even now, I've heard of unmarried(female) teachers being sacked for being pregnant. It's truely sad.

[Natalka]

I would give them my password--and after they're done snooping, I would promptly change the password on it.

Why might i do this? I am a teacher. As far as society is concerned, I am a teacher 24-7 and everything I do--whether it's done at work when I'm wearing my teacher shoes, whether it's in the community where I wear my running shoes and walk my dog or whether it's in my own back yard where I wiggle my bare feet in the grass- I am ALWAYS on display. My behaviors both in and out of the classroom are considered part of my "professionalism" so how I also conduct myself online is also up for grabs too.

That being said, I never, EVER post anything that I wouldn't want my boss (the school board), other colleagues, or my students to read.

Do I think it's right that employers demand that information from prospective employees? Nope. However, I've trained myself to endure the invasion of privacy so it really wouldn't be a big deal for me. But I totally see other people's arguments. It DOES cross a line. The difference for me is that I accepted that line-crossing when I entered the field of teaching way back when.

I wouldn't give my password, but I'd add them on as a friend, or just have them look at it. Them asking to see it is one thing; it's much more suspect if they are asking for a password, that's just stupid.

SO many people don't realize the fishbowl teachers live in. My first teaching experience was in my home city, so that added a whole other level of complications, plus the school was the one where I attended elementary, and some of the same teachers were even still there.

The biggest eye-opener for me was moving down south in my province to teach in a town of 1,100. You could not fart without the town knowing you had beans for lunch. Plus, I was seen as one of the 'big city' teachers who came into the town, so that added a different layer of scrutiny (found out years later they much preferred other small towners to come in to teach). However, I'm wonderful and well-behaved, so I never had any difficulties, but it took a while to get used to their ways and realize it was more than being an 'open book', there would also be tests!
There were other newbie teachers there who went the route of going to the bar, dating townies, talking too much about their personal lives - but I just knew to stay away from that. I was active in the community, made some great friends, and enjoyed my three years there.

Very good point about certain professions having lowered expectations of privacy. My sister is also a member of the Ontario College of Teachers, and I know that they have a social media policy for their members - including that you should never befriend your students on social networking, professional conduct on fb and the like. I think that this type of expectation is quite reasonable in general, regardless of any employer trying to get a password, etc.

[Natalka]

Explanation of the differences in this regard between Canada and the US - we have more privacy rights.

http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/can...081511941.html

[MortgageQueen]

Here is some "answer" suggestions from a career advice column which I think are right on the money. . . sorry for the copy and paste mess. . .


I take my agreements very seriously. And it is against Facebook’s user policy to share my password with anyone else. I’m going to have to respectfully decline your request.

1. I’m sure your firm has a social media policy. Well, it is my own social media policy to use Facebook for personal reasons. I mean no offense, but I’m going to have to decline.
2. Privacy is a very serious matter for me. Should I be employed with your organization, I would honor private company information just as seriously as I honor my own. Even if this means losing a great opportunity for me, I must refuse your request. And know that if I were presented with a similar situation with your private information, I would respond in the same way.
3. I wouldn’t want to jeopardize your organization’s standing with OFCCP’s regulations about asking about kids or other protected private matters in the course of an employment decision. Therefore, if you don’t mind, I’d prefer to keep my Facebook profile private. However, should you and I become friendly after my employment, I would have no problem having you in my network.

[roseofblack25]

Here is some "answer" suggestions from a career advice column which I think are right on the money. . . sorry for the copy and paste mess. . .


I take my agreements very seriously. And it is against Facebook’s user policy to share my password with anyone else. I’m going to have to respectfully decline your request.

1. I’m sure your firm has a social media policy. Well, it is my own social media policy to use Facebook for personal reasons. I mean no offense, but I’m going to have to decline.
2. Privacy is a very serious matter for me. Should I be employed with your organization, I would honor private company information just as seriously as I honor my own. Even if this means losing a great opportunity for me, I must refuse your request. And know that if I were presented with a similar situation with your private information, I would respond in the same way.
3. I wouldn’t want to jeopardize your organization’s standing with OFCCP’s regulations about asking about kids or other protected private matters in the course of an employment decision. Therefore, if you don’t mind, I’d prefer to keep my Facebook profile private. However, should you and I become friendly after my employment, I would have no problem having you in my network.

I like 3 just because I can see the legal loophole of companies asking for facebook information just to snoop and find out personal things they can't ask in an interview such as: married/divorced/have kids/age/ethnic origin etc. Though I think it's just considered labour law in Canada and that question is set up for the U.S.

[Darth Penguin]

Failing to provide FB password gets teacher's aide fired.

Demanding that employees fork over their Facebook passwords isn't regular practice for the Lewis Cass Intermediate School District in Cassopolis, Mich. Administrators did, however, make that non-negotiable request of Kimberly Hester, a teacher's aide, after she posted a picture of a co-worker with her pants around her ankles, with the caption, "Thinking of you." Hester refused to turn over her password. Now she's fired.

[glowworm2k]

I wouldn't give my password, but I'd add them on as a friend, or just have them look at it. Them asking to see it is one thing; it's much more suspect if they are asking for a password, that's just stupid.

SO many people don't realize the fishbowl teachers live in. My first teaching experience was in my home city, so that added a whole other level of complications, plus the school was the one where I attended elementary, and some of the same teachers were even still there.

The biggest eye-opener for me was moving down south in my province to teach in a town of 1,100. You could not fart without the town knowing you had beans for lunch. Plus, I was seen as one of the 'big city' teachers who came into the town, so that added a different layer of scrutiny (found out years later they much preferred other small towners to come in to teach). However, I'm wonderful and well-behaved, so I never had any difficulties, but it took a while to get used to their ways and realize it was more than being an 'open book', there would also be tests!
There were other newbie teachers there who went the route of going to the bar, dating townies, talking too much about their personal lives - but I just knew to stay away from that. I was active in the community, made some great friends, and enjoyed my three years there.

This reduced privacy is a big, big deal and I agree with Natalka that a lot of people don't realize how pervasive it is, especially for teachers! I grew up in a rural area and my Mom also is also a teacher. When she and my Dad split, it was amazing how many people felt they were allowed to voice their comments to her about it just because her kids went to the school she taught at! I know it tends to be worse the smaller the town, but it happens in big cities, too. There was an incident last year at the university when one professor (who had a Master's degree and was doing her PhD, I might add) who was teaching in criminology was let go because it "somehow" came to light that she had, in the past, worked in the sex industry. The firing was all hush-hush, but it was about morals and optics more than anything else - in short, what her past actions said (or could be thought to say) about her character.

[Slaney]

I wouldn't. if they're concerned they can visit my profile where they can't see anything because it's all private at which point they should realize no one else can see anything either so I can;t embarass them