Employers and colleges demanding Facebook passwords

MassiveDelta

Everyone talks big... Let me play devils advocate

You are 60 days outside of your Unemployment benefits and still no firm job opportunities. Your spouse has managed to keep food coming in with her part-time jobs at subway and McDonalds, but you are 3 months past due on the mortgage and you have been dodging the finance companies repoman by hiding your car in the neighbors garage.

The interviewer tells you in the final interview... "we would like to offer you this position. If you could just fill out this form for HR so they can view your Facebook account we will get you set up in the system and you can start tomorrow."


Now whats your answer?

LuckyLeprechaun

Everyone talks big... Let me play devils advocate

You are 60 days outside of your Unemployment benefits and still no firm job opportunities. Your spouse has managed to keep food coming in with her part-time jobs at subway and McDonalds, but you are 3 months past due on the mortgage and you have been dodging the finance companies repoman by hiding your car in the neighbors garage.

The interviewer tells you in the final interview... "we would like to offer you this position. If you could just fill out this form for HR so they can view your Facebook account we will get you set up in the system and you can start tomorrow."


Now whats your answer?

With a confident smile, I'd say, "That's fantastic! And it won't take them long, since I don't use facebook!"

My first/last name combo is SUPER common. Prove I have a FB acct. You can't.

mommared53

Everyone talks big... Let me play devils advocate

You are 60 days outside of your Unemployment benefits and still no firm job opportunities. Your spouse has managed to keep food coming in with her part-time jobs at subway and McDonalds, but you are 3 months past due on the mortgage and you have been dodging the finance companies repoman by hiding your car in the neighbors garage.

The interviewer tells you in the final interview... "we would like to offer you this position. If you could just fill out this form for HR so they can view your Facebook account we will get you set up in the system and you can start tomorrow."


Now whats your answer?

I would straight out lie (may God forgive me but I would) and say I don't have a Facebook account then as soon as I could, I would delete my account.

MikeSEA

Everyone talks big... Let me play devils advocate

You are 60 days outside of your Unemployment benefits and still no firm job opportunities. Your spouse has managed to keep food coming in with her part-time jobs at subway and McDonalds, but you are 3 months past due on the mortgage and you have been dodging the finance companies repoman by hiding your car in the neighbors garage.

The interviewer tells you in the final interview... "we would like to offer you this position. If you could just fill out this form for HR so they can view your Facebook account we will get you set up in the system and you can start tomorrow."


Now whats your answer?

I guess have my own question. Do you realize the real question you're asking is either "Do you lack the courage of your convictions?" or possibly "Just what is your breaking point?" It's kind of odd isn't it? Because unless someone is actually going through the narrative you describe, then we won't know; there's no way to tell if people really are just "talking big." The scenario is supposedly theoretical, so it can't possibly apply the kind of pressure it's describing just by reading it.

To answer it as best as I can, I can't say that I've been a situation quite that desperate but there was a time out of school when I was getting plenty of interviews but got passed up for positions left and right due to a lack of experience. This went on for about 8 months. At point, I had a trial week with a company, at the end of which we ran into a problem wherein they wanted me to essentially copy another party's work product and pass it off as this company's. I refused for ethical reasons and stated that I couldn't do the kind of work they required of me. Life would have been easier with a paycheck if had I just done what they told me to do, but I have ethics.

mommared53

I came back to this thread and I don't like my answer. That was the first thing that came to my mind but what does that say about me as a Christian? I would rather believe I could stand by my principals and refuse to give in to what I would consider a form of blackmail; either give us access to your Facebook account or you won't get the job. I would hope I could trust that God would lead me to a position where I wouldn't have to sacrifice my morals or ethics. The thing is, I'm actually going through things right now that are really testing my faith so I would hope that would not be something else put on my plate that I would have to deal with. Maybe if I ever get an interview I'll just delete my Facebook account until I know I have a job then I wouldn't have to lie. It's not like I have anything to hide anyway but so far we still live in a free country and I shouldn't have to give an employer access to my personal/outside of work life just to have a job.

MassiveDelta

Everyone talks big... Let me play devils advocate

You are 60 days outside of your Unemployment benefits and still no firm job opportunities. Your spouse has managed to keep food coming in with her part-time jobs at subway and McDonalds, but you are 3 months past due on the mortgage and you have been dodging the finance companies repoman by hiding your car in the neighbors garage.

The interviewer tells you in the final interview... "we would like to offer you this position. If you could just fill out this form for HR so they can view your Facebook account we will get you set up in the system and you can start tomorrow."


Now whats your answer?

I guess have my own question. Do you realize the real question you're asking is either "Do you lack the courage of your convictions?" or possibly "Just what is your breaking point?" It's kind of odd isn't it? Because unless someone is actually going through the narrative you describe, then we won't know; there's no way to tell if people really are just "talking big." The scenario is supposedly theoretical, so it can't possibly apply the kind of pressure it's describing just by reading it.

To answer it as best as I can, I can't say that I've been a situation quite that desperate but there was a time out of school when I was getting plenty of interviews but got passed up for positions left and right due to a lack of experience. This went on for about 8 months. At point, I had a trial week with a company, at the end of which we ran into a problem wherein they wanted me to essentially copy another party's work product and pass it off as this company's. I refused for ethical reasons and stated that I couldn't do the kind of work they required of me. Life would have been easier with a paycheck if had I just done what they told me to do, but I have ethics.

I completely agree that those are the real questions. If I truly felt that I was at the end of my financial rope would I walk away and say "That isn't the kind of company I want to work for." <-- What I would hope I could do....or Would I justify this as a temporary position until I can find a more suitable company to work for.

I dont think I can actually say legitimately for sure but I hope I can tell the person what kind of company they are for asking and walk out.

MassiveDelta

I came back to this thread and I don't like my answer. That was the first thing that came to my mind but what does that say about me as a Christian? I would rather believe I could stand by my principals and refuse to give in to what I would consider a form of blackmail; either give us access to your Facebook account or you won't get the job. I would hope I could trust that God would lead me to a position where I wouldn't have to sacrifice my morals or ethics. The thing is, I'm actually going through things right now that are really testing my faith so I would hope that would not be something else put on my plate that I would have to deal with. Maybe if I ever get an interview I'll just delete my Facebook account until I know I have a job then I wouldn't have to lie. It's not like I have anything to hide anyway but so far we still live in a free country and I shouldn't have to give an employer access to my personal/outside of work life just to have a job.

But aren't you compromising your ideals by deleting your FB account at all?