Share Facebook Password in the Interview?
Applicant in a Job Interview Asked to Share Facebook Password
Well Robert Collins, was asked to share his Facebook password about a year ago, when he was being interviewed for a job with the Maryland Corrections Department.
During the interview, Collins was told that part of the background screening process would involve looking at his Facebook account and he therefore needed to share his Facebook password. Although Collins at first was startled by the request, he shared his Facebook password with the interviewer. Collins then watched as the interviewer immediately logged into Collins' Facebook page and perused his profile and account.
After the interview, Collins filed a complaint with the Maryland chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). In an interview with the Baltimore Sun, Collins said, "I felt I was being treated like a person who had committed a crime, and that my whole life was being scrutinized under a microscope."
As a result of the ACLU's involvement, Gary D. Maynard, secretary of the Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services, said that although the practice of asking applicants to share Facebook passwords was not going to stop immediately, it would be suspended 45 days for further study. Maynard defended the department's actions saying the practice of getting Facebook passwords was not meant to be intrusive but to help stem the infiltration of gangs into Maryland's correctional facilities.
There is definitely an uptick in the number of employers using social networking sites like Linked In and Facebook to screen potential employees. However, based on Collins' experience it sounds like employers are not just screening applicants privately anymore, but may be asking for passwords right there in the job interview.
Job seekers should keep in mind that Facebook password is still considered personal, private information. A professional response from a job seeker is the following - "I understand about the need to screen applicants' background. I would be more than willing to discuss this further if I am the final candidate." I would seriously encourage any job seeker to consider walking away, if they felt they were being intimidated into sharing this kind of personal information. They can follow-up the same way Collins did as well.
Resources
The Baltmore Sun
ACLU
Other articles for job seekers on AC
Published by Marcia Robinson
Marcia has been writing about work, employment, careers, education, entrepreneurship and related political issues for thirteen years. She has a strong commitment to supporting the personal and professional... View profile
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This could be very intimidating in an interview. You gave a good way to answer it. It's invasive since you don't know what you might find in someone's facebook account about lifestyle, religeon, politics etc. It's such a big risk for the company, don't know hw they don't see that.
Great warning, thanks for this article Marcia!
Wow, this is scary. No way would I give out that information. No job is worth that level of invasion.
I think I might have just said that I didn't have a FB account. Big Brother is always watching.
That's like the con-men who catch people off guard and in casual conversation say, "I can never remember my bank account numbers and/or passwords, I bet you know yours by heart." Sadly people fall for this! Major invasion of personal information! Well done!
This is a gross invasion of privacy. I hope he immediately changed that password, and I hope he wins a huge settlement for this disgusting practice.