Hand over your Facebook username and password if you want a job!!

[BackDoor_Man]

What would you do if an employer said this to you?

Latest news from Naked Security (03/22/2012)

What would you do at a job interview if the interviewer requested your Facebook username and password?
Read more here:
http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2012...d%252Bsecurity

[edin日本]

That sucks! That would be like a Japanese employer asking you for your MIXI account.

[Seattlegirl]

In a different article on this topic, an interviewee who refused to give the information got the job and was told that they were "testing him" to see if he would easily give up sensitive information. I don't remember what the job was but it wasn't national security or a financial institution or anything like that. Sounds like, "Oh, just kidding, glad you didn't give us your personal information, haha!"

I love all the comments from people suggesting you deactivate your account or clean it up for interviews. That's not the issue, people. Your personal fb account is none of a goddamn employer's business and they have no right to see it.

EVERYONE should have their privacy settings so only friends can find them. That's just common sense....which is sadly lacking in the world today.

[BackDoor_Man]

I uinderstand how you both feel about this and I agree but what about someone that really needs a job? Should they refuse? or should they follow the advice that is given in the article. Me I would tell an employer to suck a root, as I am independent as all get out, but not everyone is like me, except for maybe edin日本!

[edin日本]

In a different article on this topic, an interviewee who refused to give the information got the job and was told that they were "testing him" to see if he would easily give up sensitive information. I don't remember what the job was but it wasn't national security or a financial institution or anything like that. Sounds like, "Oh, just kidding, glad you didn't give us your personal information, haha!"

I love all the comments from people suggesting you deactivate your account or clean it up for interviews. That's not the issue, people. Your personal fb account is none of a goddamn employer's business and they have no right to see it.

EVERYONE should have their privacy settings so only friends can find them. That's just common sense....which is sadly lacking in the world today.

Not that that does much good because there are a number of exploits and hacks that will let you search fb and mine it's data for information. The hackers are always a step or two ahead of the curve where facebook security is concerned.

[thefan]

One more reason not to go on sharing caring Facefuk

[Seattlegirl]

Not that that does much good because there are a number of exploits and hacks that will let you search fb and mine it's data for information. The hackers are always a step or two ahead of the curve where facebook security is concerned.

True, but it appears that the practice of asking for information has been mostly limited to a few sectors and is not widespread. Could be that with the exposure this is getting, potential employers will back off since it puts them in a very negative light. Most employers will have no interest in hiring anyone to hack and search prospective employees. It isn't worth the effort.

[edin日本]

True, but it appears that the practice of asking for information has been mostly limited to a few sectors and is not widespread. Could be that with the exposure this is getting, potential employers will back off since it puts them in a very negative light. Most employers will have no interest in hiring anyone to hack and search prospective employees. It isn't worth the effort.

What about hacking a former employee's account to remove nasty comments he made about his former employer? That's been done.

[Seattlegirl]

What about hacking a former employee's account to remove nasty comments he made about his former employer? That's been done.

That's a separate issue from the topic at hand, which is prospective employers asking for fb information during an interview.

[edin日本]

That's a separate issue from the topic at hand, which is prospective employers asking for fb information during an interview.

Well it does seem to be only in the US at the moment. Maybe it's more of a concern for you than me.

[Seattlegirl]

Well it does seem to be only in the US at the moment. Maybe it's more of a concern for you than me.

I personally am not concerned as I do not anticipate being in an interview situation. It's certainly a concern in a broader sense as it's an invasion of privacy. But with all the f^cked up sh!t happening around me lately, it's pretty low on the scale.

[HarryHurry]

EVERYONE should have their privacy settings so only friends can find them. That's just common sense....which is sadly lacking in the world today.

You're almost there.

But for total common sense people should really refrain from posting their whole lives on the internet.

A. It's brain numbingly boring for others
B. It's dangerous.

[trip_hop]

There is a menu than enables you to request that farcebook download all your posts, pictures, likes, comments, anything associated with your ID.
You may be surprised just how much of your life is already on the interwebs...

[HarryHurry]

Social networks are more social disease.

People lining up in their gullible millions to hand over their personal info to a rat-infested internet system.

Madness!!

[HarryHurry]

By the way, I'm not really HarryHurry. I'm someone else.

(just in case any of said internet rats is watchin'...)

[twelvedown]

A. It's brain numbingly boring for others

It sure is...
It used to be more interesting...people would put interesting or important things up.
Now it's just a flood of

"Oh man, my NEW BENZ just got a scratch"

"Ooops! 4 super-espressos before noon! Watch out world!"

[ozzijp]

It sure is...
It used to be more interesting...

Ridiculous comment. It was never interesting, you just thought it was. It should be renamed "LonelyBook" because only my lonely "friends" post anything there. In 2025 it will be called "Stupid stuff I did in the 2010's. "Facebook Forever" will be a sad epilogue for the ignorant.

[jarjarbinks]

facebook is fun sorry if you hate your life !

[HarryHurry]

facebook is fun sorry if you hate your life !

The concept of fun has clearly passed you by...

[purple]

In a different article on this topic, an interviewee who refused to give the information got the job and was told that they were "testing him" to see if he would easily give up sensitive information.

Exactly. An employer who only hires people who are willing to divulge private information, not to mention the fact that they've encouraged you to break your agreement with Facebook and reveal your details?

Who would want to work for a company with such a blatant disregard for privacy and the law?

And from an employer's perspective, who would want to hire someone who willingly breaks agreements and confidentiality to give up such information?

EVERYONE should have their privacy settings so only friends can find them. That's just common sense....which is sadly lacking in the world today.

Afraid I disagree on this one. One great benefit of Facebook is it allows me to find people who I'd fallen out of touch with years ago (in the days before email/internet) and to reestablish these contacts and friendships. If settings were limited to friends then one could only ever find people in one's very recent circle of contacts. Not cool.

[shonanfred]

One great benefit of Facebook is it allows me to find people who I'd fallen out of touch with years ago (in the days before email/internet) and to reestablish these contacts and friendships.

Agreed...FB has allowed me to bang some of the hot chicks from high school I couldn't bang in 1988.
Fred

[HarryHurry]

One great benefit of Facebook is it allows me to find people who I'd fallen out of touch with years ago (in the days before email/internet) and to reestablish these contacts and friendships. If settings were limited to friends then one could only ever find people in one's very recent circle of contacts. Not cool.

Fair enough, I guess, but if it was that important to keep in touch you would have kept in touch...

[Andun]

Agreed...FB has allowed me to bang some of the hot chicks from high school I couldn't bang in 1988.
Fred

Yep. They sure do get desperate when they're no longer hot.

[shonanfred]

Yep. They sure do get desperate when they're no longer hot.

Desperate girl beejers are the best.
Fred

[Sterling]

http://www.facebook.com/notes/facebo...26598317390057

Protecting Your Passwords and Your Privacy
by Facebook and Privacy on Friday, March 23, 2012 at 5:32am ·
In recent months, we’ve seen a distressing increase in reports of employers or others seeking to gain inappropriate access to people’s Facebook profiles or private information. This practice undermines the privacy expectations and the security of both the user and the user’s friends. It also potentially exposes the employer who seeks this access to unanticipated legal liability.

The most alarming of these practices is the reported incidences of employers asking prospective or actual employees to reveal their passwords. If you are a Facebook user, you should never have to share your password, let anyone access your account, or do anything that might jeopardize the security of your account or violate the privacy of your friends. We have worked really hard at Facebook to give you the tools to control who sees your information.

As a user, you shouldn’t be forced to share your private information and communications just to get a job. And as the friend of a user, you shouldn’t have to worry that your private information or communications will be revealed to someone you don’t know and didn’t intend to share with just because that user is looking for a job. That’s why we’ve made it a violation of Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities to share or solicit a Facebook password.

We don’t think employers should be asking prospective employees to provide their passwords because we don’t think it’s the right thing to do. But it also may cause problems for the employers that they are not anticipating. For example, if an employer sees on Facebook that someone is a member of a protected group (e.g. over a certain age, etc.) that employer may open themselves up to claims of discrimination if they don’t hire that person.

Employers also may not have the proper policies and training for reviewers to handle private information. If they don’t―and actually, even if they do--the employer may assume liability for the protection of the information they have seen or for knowing what responsibilities may arise based on different types of information (e.g. if the information suggests the commission of a crime).

Facebook takes your privacy seriously. We’ll take action to protect the privacy and security of our users, whether by engaging policymakers or, where appropriate, by initiating legal action, including by shutting down applications that abuse their privileges.

While we will continue to do our part, it is important that everyone on Facebook understands they have a right to keep their password to themselves, and we will do our best to protect that right.

-- Erin Egan, Chief Privacy Officer, Policy

[Andun]

If it were a hot female interviewee I would hand over my Facebook username and password for a job...as long as it was of the hand or blow variety.

[TJrandom]

Do you not get the job if you do not have a FB account?

[edin日本]

Latest word is Facebook will be taking any company that asks for your fb account and password information to court. Guess that's the end of this practice.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/faceb...26598317390057