Should an employer be allowed to ask prospective employees for their Facebook login?

By Mandi Gosling
February 22nd, 2011
Section: Opinions - Question of the Day

During a recertification interview with the Maryland Division of Corrections 2010, Corrections Officer Robert Collins was asked for his Facebook login information.  The interviewer then logged into his profile, read through his postings and read those of his family and friends.

Collins feels his rights were violated and has joined with the American Civil Liberties Union to change the Maryland Division of Corrections policy that allows them to demand social media account information for use in employee background checks.  The ACLU has yet to receive a response.

In a letter to the Maryland Division of Corrections, the ACLU states, “requiring full disclosure of an employee’s Facebook page is no different from your boss looking through your diary, personal emails or home videos.”

Would you hand over your Facebook login and password to get or keep a job?

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  • AL.

    I am going with no on this one… Where does it stop? Would the local burger hut be entitled to your facebook account for a job? How secure would your private information be to the company you are applying to? What if the person looking into your account had a record of “financial crimes, or computer crimes”? .. Your personal information is just that, your personal information…What is next, the personal information off your iPhone? I see problems with this..

    • Danielle

      Hi Al.

      I don’t think all jobs can check but if someone I know is going into law enforcement, I’d feel a whole lot safer if he/she got checked thoroughly.

      As for the person checking, they have to go through an extensive check as well.

  • Danielle

    Yes and no. For civilian jobs, I think it’s too much. A person can separate their personal and business lives. Their Facebook accounts fall under personal and the employer does not need to access their accounts.
    However, for a job that involves protecting and serving the community, such as a corrections officer, the background investigation includes social networks. Why? Because integrity needs to be checked and double checked.
    Their is a saying that goes you can pretend to be religious by attending church and praying in public, but you cannot fake sincerity when it comes to giving tithes and offerings. If a person’s monetary giving to a church or some other organization is what tests their sincerity (put your wallet where your mouth is kinda deal), what better way to check a person’s integrity and sincerity than their FB posts and Tweets?
    When applying for an officer position, there are several forms and questionnaires regarding criminal history, use of drugs and other illegal (or just questionable) behavior. By looking at your personal social networking accounts, they can check your story.
    So, is it overkill to check a future employees Facebook account? No. I went through a similar process and when I was asked for my log in, I gave it because it showed I was sincere in my application, and quite frankly applicants should be flattered that the department is spending so much time looking into their lives. It makes passing and qualifying all that sweeter.
    For the rest of the community, it is assuring and comforting to know the people who have badges and guns were required to pass extensive background checks.

  • Ryan

    From a moral standpoint, it’s a no-brainer that this shouldn’t be allowed. However, assuming this is not in violation of any specific law (not sure if right-to-privacy is infringed upon here) and was part of the terms of employment and were disclosed to him, I cant see what issues he could have. He was given the terms, and his failure to read them before he accepted employment does not give him a right to be pissed off. This is the first I’ve ever heard of login credentials to anything being required. I know employers like to snoop around facebook pages, but this is new to me. It’ll be interesting to see what transpires from this.

    • Danielle

      Hi Ryan.

      You’re right, before anyone can check your background, you sign a release form.