Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
Well, as I say, I am in a job which requires extensive background checks for government security clearance, and I did choose to apply for that job, so clearly there are people like me out there who don't have a problem with the process. My personal view is that, as long as it's a free choice, then there isn't a problem, but I don't expect the law to agree with me  . |
If you want to be James Bond, or even Q, then that may be fine. However if you look at some of the cases mentioned this is being applied to prison guards, teachers aides, human resource workers, statisticians, online retail workers, Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all.
It's not even a very good technique. It's lazy and just shows that the employers are not prepared to do proper due diligence on a candidate. I could fake up a Facebook account which would make me look wonderful. I could also hide my real Facebook account which documented my career as a drug dealer. I know for a fact that there are thousands of people with my christian and surnames, how are they going to know which account is which? The one and only Facebook account I ever set up wasn't even in that name.
It's a stupid knee-jerk reaction by some idiotic employers who think they should get clued in to "social media" and walk all over peoples privacy in the process. It will also come back to bite them in the ass once the economy improves and that poor schmuck who had no real choice but to comply at his interview says "F*&! You" and leaves to go work for a competitor. It's not a technique I'd adopt to build a happy work force, and I've worked for some sectors which weren't exactly renowned for employee empathy.