facebook passwords: ShortFormBlog

11:28 • 1 year ago

As a user, you shouldn’t be forced to share your private information and communications just to get a job. And as the friend of a user, you shouldn’t have to worry that your private information or communications will be revealed to someone you don’t know and didn’t intend to share with just because that user is looking for a job. That’s why we’ve made it a violation of Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities to share or solicit a Facebook password.

Facebook’s Chief Privacy Officer, Erin Egan • Responding to a recent Associated Press story that discussed potential employers who would ask job applicants for their passwords. Facebook thinks that’s a no-no, and promises it may even consider legal action against companies that use Facebook information in this way. It’s good to see that Facebook is on the same page as us about this matter.

11:32 • 1 year ago

Tags: aclu american civil liberties union civil liberties privacy facebook facebook passwords social media social media privacy 54 • Permalink

In case you wondering, the ACLU doesn't think potential employers should have the right to access your Facebook password, either. Here's what ACLU attorney Catherine Crump had to say:

It’s an invasion of privacy for private employers to insist on looking at people’s private Facebook pages as a condition of employment or consideration in an application process. People are entitled to their private lives. You’d be appalled if your employer insisted on opening up your postal mail to see if there was anything of interest inside. It’s equally out of bounds for an employer to go on a fishing expedition through a person’s private social media account.

In case you missed it, we wrote a nice long rant about this a couple of days ago. Suffice it to say, we were not bullish on the idea that employers could access your Facebook account so you could get a job.