It's also a Federal crime to violate Facebook's Terms of Service

Really? I find that strange, most online ToS stuff is unread by anyone.

dletter: This.... if I was an employer, I'd ask the question, just so I WOULDN'T hire anyone stupid enough to give me their password.

I bet that's what's been going on all along.

/if only

Endive Wombat: "You draw a yearly salary, which means even when you are not at work, you are still being paid, and in a way you are always representing the company...which means your extracurricular activities outside the 4 walls of this building (your office) is our business."

"Dear Company: according to your HR department's accounting of PTO benefits, compensation for salaried employees is based on an assumption of a regular work week of five days of eight hours each (actually 7 plus a lunch break). If you want to claim 24/7 ownership of my time, you can start by offering to quadruple my salary."

Yeah, how could Facebook sell that information to companies if the users are giving it away for free?

dletter: Cubansaltyballs: Cher, fisting, gay bars,

I am happy to say that this page is the only place on the internet where you can find the phrase "Cher fisting gay bars"

Rule 34! Rule 34!

/You crazy bastard
//You've doomed us all

How about just saying you don't have a Facebook account? If they come by one with your name, just say it isn't you. Make sure to change your picture. Or just do what I do, create an account with a completely fictitious name.

Can See what ever that Aspie dickwads name is .. freaking out

Damn it they can't make people turn over their passwords to employers

I was going to sell that info to employers

After this practice gets banned, maybe we can reel in drug testing so it's limited to jobs that have a legitimate safety justification. If someone answers no to the drug question on the application/interview, and they appear to show up sober everyday, WTF are you making them pee in a cup?

I've never taken a drug test in my life.

The Angry Hand of God: How about just saying you don't have a Facebook account? If they come by one with your name, just say it isn't you. Make sure to change your picture. Or just do what I do, create an account with a completely fictitious name.

Why should we need to do that?

Also, FTFA: Worse, it also exposes private information of your friends and others who are not applying for a job.

And this is a major issue for me as well. Even if I give them permission to see MY posts, logging into my accounts gives them access to my friends' posts as well, and that's not something my friends would probably be comfortable with.

Of course, this whole thing is bullshiat. They may as well be asking to view every moment in my private life. They do not have the right to do that.

/"Okay, poop is coming out now."

Nem Wan: After this practice gets banned, maybe we can reel in drug testing so it's limited to jobs that have a legitimate safety justification. If someone answers no to the drug question on the application/interview, and they appear to show up sober everyday, WTF are you making them pee in a cup?

I've never taken a drug test in my life.

I've taken drug tests for every single job I've ever had, including Blockbuster in my early 20s. Because imagine the carnage of a stoned Mike dropping 25 VHS tapes on the ground while filing? It'd be like Chernobyl or the Challenger explosion all over again..

My work tried to get us to give up our FB passwords. After no one gave them up except for the old ladies in customer service and the threat of us forming a union they backed off.

TheOmni: Slaxl: It's also a Federal crime to violate Facebook's Terms of Service

Really? I find that strange, most online ToS stuff is unread by anyone.

It's one of those things that the Federal Government has specifically stated that they will not enforce, but it is technically illegal. Something about misrepresenting yourself to gain access to a computer system or something, I forget exactly. I think it was drafted with identity theft in mind.

Well its a good thing the Feds don't know about my twitterhandle: ScrottyMcBoogerballs34

Mike Chewbacca: I've taken drug tests for every single job I've ever had, including Blockbuster in my early 20s

Yeah, they're even piss-testing for the McJobs around here. I always hear someone say in a shocked voice, "but I smoked all weekend! I had to have pot in my system!" They still get the job because the test didn't come back positive for meth...

Mike Chewbacca: I've never taken a drug test in my life.

I've taken drug tests for every single job I've ever had, including Blockbuster in my early 20s.

I've worked corporate IT type jobs for about 15 years now, and the only employer to require a drug test was Coors Brewing Company.
In their defense, many jobs there, especially in the can plant can be pretty dangerous, and they test everyone.

Someone saw it coming: Link (new window)

I have searched FB for posts made by employees after a tip-off that this was part of the reason for productivity issues. I crosschecked this with their work rosters and gently reminded them - in writing - I wasn't paying them to waste time on the net. I gave them screenshots of their posts and the time stamps.

I found two people, who were sitting in the same room at work, bad mouthing a customer via facebook, having identified themselves as working for us. They were discussing sabotaging the customer so they could have a nap. They received a warning.

I had a couple complain about a breach of privacy. None of these idiots had any privacy settings, so their posts were public. This was my biggest gripe. They seemed to think I was some kind of uber hacker for being able to see their posts.

Why ask?

If somebody at Facebook had their shiat act together, they would have a means to have two (or more) passwords for one account. One which accesses your real private account, and one which leads to another, sanitized and HR neutral, account(s).

Slaxl: It's also a Federal crime to violate Facebook's Terms of Service

Really? I find that strange, most online ToS stuff is unread by anyone.

It really is, the courts ruled a couple years ago that violating the ToS and intentionally continuing to access a company's servers constitutes unautorized access, subsequently a violation of the computer fraud and abuse act.

If an interviewer asks me for my facebook login information, I'll gladly informed them that the courts have already ruled that violating the ToS is a felony and it would be in both of our best interests if we did not break the law in the course of the interview.

I'd ask if they could place their question on company letter head and sign it ... then ask how much they want to give me have it back.

There are certain questions companies are legally prohibited from asking a prospective employee during a job interview, information they are legally prohibited from considering during the hiring process. Race, age, gender, sexual orientation, and so on. Access to a Facebook page would provide all of that info.

That's the legal liability to employers the Facebook rep is warning about.

"Don't share your password" has long been not only good practice, but a part of most (all?) ToS's since the dawn of ... passwords.

"No duh" that it also applies when it's a prospective job asking for it.

Cubansaltyballs: Step 1) On Facebook, "like" anything that sounds Jewish or advocates Jewish causes

Step 2) "like" anything that relates to severe medical issues.

Step 3) "like" things that a gay person would, ie.. Cher, fisting, gay bars, etc.

Step 4) If/when you do not get the job, pick from the grab basket of reasons above to sue them. You might not win, but you can be damn sure the practice will end.

If there's a person employers hate more it's a schizphrenic Jewish homosexual. Wasn't that Kramer?

poot_rootbeer: Endive Wombat: "You draw a yearly salary, which means even when you are not at work, you are still being paid, and in a way you are always representing the company...which means your extracurricular activities outside the 4 walls of this building (your office) is our business."

"Dear Company: according to your HR department's accounting of PTO benefits, compensation for salaried employees is based on an assumption of a regular work week of five days of eight hours each (actually 7 plus a lunch break). If you want to claim 24/7 ownership of my time, you can start by offering to quadruple my salary."

Truth.

If I asked a job candidate for their facebook password and they gave it to me - I would terminate the interview and have the candidate thrown out of the building.

Trolljegeren: If somebody at Facebook had their shiat act together, they would have a means to have two (or more) passwords for one account. One which accesses your real private account, and one which leads to another, sanitized and HR neutral, account(s).

It already exists - its called "linkedin".

What if they started asking for your FARK Handle?
Rugbyjock, I am looking at you....(Not directly mind you...)

My easy solution: I don't use Facebook.

And if an employer doesn't hire me because I refuse to use a social networking site, then that's an employer I don't want to work for.

tinyarena: Please, say something about Obama, Hurry!

It's called the "White" House for a reason!!!

Nix Nightbird: My easy solution: I don't use Facebook.

Ditto. I wonder how they'd react. "Yes, it's true. I'm one of those."

daniellynn's real dad: I have searched FB for posts made by employees after a tip-off that this was part of the reason for productivity issues. I crosschecked this with their work rosters and gently reminded them - in writing - I wasn't paying them to waste time on the net. I gave them screenshots of their posts and the time stamps.

I found two people, who were sitting in the same room at work, bad mouthing a customer via facebook, having identified themselves as working for us. They were discussing sabotaging the customer so they could have a nap. They received a warning.

I had a couple complain about a breach of privacy. None of these idiots had any privacy settings, so their posts were public. This was my biggest gripe. They seemed to think I was some kind of uber hacker for being able to see their posts.

Thank the only ones dumber than these geniuses, your HR department who probably hired them. Good thing you didn't hire that great worker that was our of work slightly longer than the HR doc says you should hire from.

Ah heck. I'm torn between walking out of any interview where they would ask that and making up a secondary, sanitary account. Ya know... put a couple family pictures up and have a few alts as "family".