Gov't employer asks man for Facebook login during job interview

It used to be against site T&C to give out login information, I don't know if that was ever the case for FB, but come on! What next, my PSN login and my ebay account to see if I'm buying things the boss won't approve of?

Don't write ANYTHING on FB or other sites you wouldn't say in real life, don't give out sensitive personal information on yourself, and employers can kindly shove their jobs if they want me to give up what little digital privacy I have, even though I don't post anything stupid on FB or the like. Next we'll be required to state which ISP we're with so they can snoop on our search history.

reply to post by PurpleDog UK


I've never been paranoid about it because I live my life with the attitude of "don't do anything you'll regret later"....

So other than being completely and totally insane there's not much out there. I will readily stand up for my words and actions.

... you wouldn't hold a little insanity against me would ya?

I mean, if what the MSM reports is a true version of reality, I'm batpoop crazy

Originally posted by macman
Its a Govt job, what do you expect?

I expect to be allowed to be lazy on the job, that's it!

I do NOT expect to give facebook login details

And why say what do you expect?
Has govt. employers been asking for hotmail login infos since the dawn of time?

You must always be aware of the threat of incrementalism, only govt. employees ask for this now, soon all employers will as per govt. regulations in the future, and your kids will be the ones suffering for your accomodation of oppressors.

I'm an agnostic, but as per biblical prophecies of not being able to buy food without the implant in your hand maybe you wont be able to get jobs without a zero-privacy facebook account.

Look at how the world is going these days, the left went on an all out war against the right as far as "aggressive rethoric" is concerned after the AZ shooting.

The thought police are coming!

Hmm, I'm torn on this one. While it's an obvious invasion of privacy on the other hand I do love to see politicians and other government employees get punished for being jerks on facebook and saying offensive things just because they think they cant be held accountable for things they say on the internet. Like that "Two nukes werent enough" guy who really offended japanese friends of mine.

But then I guess the governments and their employees are doing worse things than insulting people anyway

Originally posted by macman
Its a Govt job, what do you expect?

A bit more respect than that, it's all part of the total control ethos.

I do not have a face book account due to the heaps of privacy concerns already. If going for a job and a employer asked for any passwords I would have to decline that request. I have no issue with the employer knowing passwords for accounts and programs used while at work, but not outside out it. Things are going to far when an employer has ownership of our lives. It is our time that we exchange, what I do outside of work hour is my business.

Originally posted by KilgoreTrout
I have never ventured onto facebook and have no intention of ever doing so, but the problem that arose where I work was that people were posting things about colleagues, innocent enough...until it wasn't and then a complaint was made to a manager about what had been said. Even though an employer (unless contractually stipulated) is not allowed to dictate what an employee can or cannot say or do in their own time, the employer is still liable in the event of bullying, harassment or discrimination being conducted or even reported on facebook between employees outside of working hours because it is still related to their employment. Same as if you were to make nuisance phone calls to a colleague's home, it is still classed as your employer's responsibility to investigate it. Since 'not knowing' is not considered a good defence, it is likely that more employers will either prohibit use of facebook or more likely, monitor it as and when suspicion arises.

Also though, more government and public sector employers in the UK are now asking questions to screen for ideology, often at second interview stage, so perhaps facebook would allow them a fast track on that too.

edit on 21-2-2011 by KilgoreTrout because: possessive apostrophing

Well get this. I worked for one of the largest internet companies out there. For 7 1/2 years.

There was a party one night at the home of one of my co-workers. I also participated in helping with the party and putting it together, as this co-worker is a friend of mine of 20+ years and it was his birthday. Which included me paying for food, alcohol/beverages and "entertainment". Take a note of this... the ratio of said "internet comany" employees to "regular" folks at this party, was about 90% employees, to 10% regular folks.

The "entertainment" I lined up, was a female stripper. Which was the "comical" event of the evening, because the birthday boy is gay.

That party took place on a Friday night. Monday morning, someone at work (another employee who was NOT present at the party), overheard 2 other employees (who were at the party) talking about it and how much fun they had. The employee who was NOT at the party, took it upon themself to be "offended" over the events they HEARD about, that took place at the party. Then marched their "offended" self right over to Human Resources to file a COMPLAINT.

NOTE - every single person who attended this party was OFF THE CLOCK and on their own PERSONAL TIME! Additionally, every single person at the party was over the age of 21.

After a few days of "investigation" from HR, pulling party attendees into "private meetings"... myself included... the weeks events in the office concluded like this:

2 Managers were suspended for 2 weeks, without pay, for their "actions" at the party. Those actions, were based on their "activity" with the "stripper". Straight men, tipping the stripper.

Myself and the birthday boy were both given 3 page write-ups for our "behavior" and "conducting" or "hosting" the party.

About a dozen or so other employees were also given write-ups for their "behavior" at the party.

When my boss came to get me to take me to the "write-up" meeting, he knew I would blow a gasket and he begged me to shut up and not say a word, just listen to them and sign the write-up. He made it clear to me from the beginning that he was completely against what the company was doing, and as hard as he fought, he couldn't sway them at all. Because of my respect for him, I complied and did as he requested.

The following work day, the company sent out emails with a new "policy". Stating that if there were going to be any "personal parties/events" taking place, if there were "80% employee attendance", it was now considered to be a "company event". Behavior at the "party/event" would be expected to be that of what is required, while at work.

As soon as I saw that email, I blew my gasket. I proceeded to fill out an expense report, listing all of the food, beverage and entertainment that I paid for, out of my own pocket, for the "personal birthday party" that got us all in trouble. I then submitted it to my boss who needed to sign off on it. To my surprise, he signed it and turned it in.

Next day, both my boss and I were written up for that and I was told that if I continued with my "attitude", I would be terminated immediately.

Fast forward about a year or so. All of us in management had to go through a 2 day class on "sensitivty training". Bottom line, "harassment" training. During the 2nd day of that class, during a Q&A with the LAWYERS that were conducing the class, one of the managers who had been suspended spoke up and stated a "hypothetical" situation, outlining the above story, and point blank asked (in front of Human Resources and all the TOP powers at this training), if that was legal.

Without hesitation, the 3 lawyers teaching this training, started shaking heads and stating that would be such an illegal situation, the company would and should be sued, and no court of law would state that any company would ever have the right to tell employees what they can or cannot do on their own personal time. On the clock, yes. Off the clock, HELL NO!

As soon as that training class ended, there was a line a mile long at the doors of Human Resources. Each of demanding our employee files. Each of us tearing up those warnings. And each of us demanding written letters of apologies. Which, thankfully we got.

Unfortunately, too many companies, government or not, believe they can control what we do 24/7. This company is one of the largest inernet companies in the world. One you have all visited, or at the very least, heard of. So sadly, this happens, even here in the good old U.S.A.

Did anybody stop to consider that people used Facebook to set up some of the protests and things going on in the middle east? That's where I would look for a connection first.

No matter what they think passwords are never supposed to be given out. Even if it is for something of no use to the owner of the password.

I'm going to try and see if I can get a response from facebook.

facebook rules

You will not share your password, (or in the case of developers, your secret key), let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account.

You are not allowed to share your password.

And if the person asking for the password has a FB account he is going against the rules as well.

You will not solicit login information or access an account belonging to someone else.

Why would they need the social media log-ins and passwords.
They can view the persons facebook page without log-in and password.

Is there some secret to what you can hide on facebook that they would need the log-in and password.

By the way i don't have a facebook page or account (never will)so i have no idea.