Should employers be able to check your facebook page?

We've all heard or read about stories where an employer fires or refuses to hire an employee because of something they saw on the employee's facebook or other social networking page. On one hand, what an employee does off-the-job should not be taken into account as long as he or she does the job properly, but on the other hand, there may be serious issues that may be uncovered by looking at the employee's social networking pages.

I'm more in the first camp; what you do outside of your job is your business, and I don't care if you're a freaking KKK wizard as long as that shit stays off the job. (But if you're a Klansman I don't think you'd be working for me, a brown woman, anyway.) Apparently, the German government agrees with me and has passed a law limiting what companies can or cannot use against their employees.

from http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,713240,00.html


Do you agree with the practice of checking on employees' facebook pages and/or googling them? Why or why not?

Well it is public information , that the people chose to make readily available ,and while I may not like it , I cant argue with the results. If a person is asked "do you do drugs ?" they will likely reply no ,and simply stop doing drugs long enough to pass a test..., but by checking facebook ,and seeing pictures marked "ME SMOKIN HUGE FATTY LAST WEEKENDS WOOO! ,an employer is able to avoid employing a person that could possibly be detrimental to business. In closing should they be able to check it ? Sure , its really not much different then going through your record , by posting stuff on facebook ,and agreeing to the terms of service you lose the right to bitch , you made the information public...don't like it ? don't put information up online that could screw you out of a job.

Edit: last bit isn't targeted at OP it is for anyone who has a problem with it in general

That's another aspect of it I guess: if you post it online, on public, then it's fair game. Facebook does have privacy settings where you set it so that you can't even access a person's facebook page from google if you're not logged in.

However, what if the employee has a relatively common name? An employer could be looking at an utter douchebag who shares the same name, and be making decisions off that. Now this is incredibly stupid, but hey, it happens. A friend of mine has a not-so-common name, but there is someone on facebook who shares the same name and has "Kim Kardashian's ass" as one of his interests. If employers decide to not hire him based on that, how is that fair?

Mod Note: Nekohime's double post has been deleted.

I apologize for the inconvenience caused to her as well as the other members. - Gambler

Well you make a valid point , I mean it would have to be a pretty major mistake as most of the time facebook displays enough information for you to cross reference , and see if you found the right person , you're right it wouldn't be fair , but mistakes like this can occur in even near automated systems. Hell I was almost arrested when my employer checked my records ,and they mistakenly showed me ,as a wanted felon. Mistakes happen , and while its unfortunate , I don't see it out weighing the positive at least in this situation.

I think that if your dumb enough to leave your profile open to people not on your friends list and they see that you party and they believe you are incapable of working in said environment then sure, Its fine.

But If said manager or whatever Adds you to facebook then later fires you for finding out your true colors then That would be a little unfair.
But its a site open to everybody and if they chose to check your FB then they can.

In short. Yeah, they can check your page. but If you were smart you would set your privacy settings so it makes you look better than you actually are if you are the type that likes to do silly things and plan to get a really good job if they decide to check.

Which is why you should have a public facebook page for your employeers to see. And a private one that you and your friends use.

NO and i shouldn't be piss test either, but it a free country.

Right. So you want to prevent the employers from having the right to look at information you publicly placed on the internet - but you want to have the right to use illegal substance. ;p

In any case, I wouldn't hold it against the employer - I mean, let's face it, if you were an employer and were expecting an interview with someone, would you be tempted to check them out a bit?

Don't put anything on the internet you wouldn't want them to see - or better yet just lock the thing down to prevent anyone looking at your pictures or wall posts besides the friends you have added.

Yeah, and i even have it set so you can't even access my page if you're not logged in. Still, I think a person's private life is their business as long as it's not messing with my business. I don't care if you had a whole sex and drugs binge last weekend as long as you show up to work on time and do your bloody job.

Yeah, and i even have it set so you can't even access my page if you're not logged in. Still, I think a person's private life is their business as long as it's not messing with my business. I don't care if you had a whole sex and drugs binge last weekend as long as you show up to work on time and do your bloody job.

triple post

It can be difficult to do that if you're insanely hungover , or strung out on meth. Maybe the person is in total control of their life , but a person looking to hire people really has no way of making sure of that , so they go with the safer bet.

Try using the 'delete' button next to your post.

Well, duh.

If you want things to be kept private, then keep it private.

Don't post something in public, then expect people to ignore it.

So, yeah, if you post something on facebook for everyone to see, its unreasonable to expect your employer not to see it. There are privacy settings on facebook.

This is like stripping in public, then getting pissed when people refuse to hire you.



Same name, same face, same facebook personal details, but completely different people? The odds are astronomical to the point on being irrelevant. And if the employer is so dumb to the point that he just checks the name of an potential employee and not the photo and other details, not being hired ue to having a common name will be the least of your problems.

Can't people just make their profiles private?
There, simple solution to a fucked up problem.
You know what really pisses me off?
Its not this, its how most employers don't hire people because they have tattoos.
Or because their hair is too long and/or an "unnatural" color.
It seems like they want everyone to be the same short haired, suit wearing, robot!
Fuck that shit. That's why I work for no one but my own damn self. >=)

fun fact: when you work for a company , or organization you are in a way representing them...and believe it or not no one cares that you feel violated , because you can't show off a tattoo , or get a good job with day-glow orange hair. Some people will be bothered , or even offended , by it...and since those same people just happen to be the ones providing them with money I can see why they care about them more than you.

For profit businesses are out to get money.

Which would you rather have service from.


Guy with a bad dye job, long unkept hair with an attitude that says "I don't want to be here."

Or the guy who looks clean cut and is polite and smiling.

Guess which one people choose the most.

And which one causes a drop in return customers.

Remembers, The businesses aren't there to have you work for them. People mistake that.

They are there to make money. You're just a necessary part so they can do so.

To them, all they are doing is renting out a funny flesh colored robot for a couple of hours. And they want the one that works best for their money spent.

Yeah I know that you're representing them. I just think its bullshit is all.
I mean really, what kind of person would be offended by "unnatural" hair colors?
For the record I have never dyed my hair before. I'm just speaking on behalf of some of my friends who were fired or didn't even get hired at all because of this.
But when it comes to me I have been turned down a lot because I have long hair.
What the fuck? This is 2010! Its normal for guys to have long hair. Its been normal for years actually. I mean girls don't have to have short hair. Hah, sorry, I didn't mean to (kinda) go off topic. What were we all talking about? Oh right, Facebook.
Won't it be funny if your page was set to private but your boss friend requests you and you deny him? The nest work day would be a bit awkward, wouldn't it? lol




Not all people with dyed hair are rude cunts. And not all people with short hair are nice and polite. That's just dumb stereotyping right there. You gotta stop looking at book covers and read the damn book. lol






That's very true and well said. I may steal that line and put it in a short story I'm working on. ;)

Except, most of the time the people who do things like dyeing their hair do so because they are seeking to break from 'conformity'.

Yes, it might be a stereotype to consider it that way. But it tends to be true and you know it.

And so do the employers.

And even if it ISN'T true. What matters is what is true for the customers.

And I guarantee you, that most are going to stereotype.

And Employers know this too.

Well most of the people I know who have dyed hair did it for fun and because they like the look. They weren't thinking about breaking from conformity.
I don't know where you're from that all the people with dyed hair are cunts but the ones I know are nice. However, they're all girls. lol
Mmm lets just agree that employers and jobs (not careers) are a bunch of bullshit that wastes years of your life for some tiny paycheck. Unless you like your job, then good for you!
But yeah, sorry for my laziness on this topic, I normally write more.