In the know: Facebook Privacy

Of those engaged in social networking, most would admit to having “Facebook stalked,” or, to put it more delicately, conducted a thorough investigation of another person’s Facebook page.

While much of the site’s activity is harmless, some companies are using information gathered from Facebook to investigate job applicants. Two senators are now pushing for a federal investigation of these companies after recent incidents in which employers have demanded access to the Facebook accounts of potential employees.

A site that, not long ago, was a place specifically for college students to connect with one another, update each other on campus gossip and share photos of their recent exploits, could now inhibit those students from getting hired. Because of their especially strong online presence, recent graduates may be the worst off as they apply for jobs requiring such a background check.

If companies require applicants to share their Facebook passwords, even those who have taken steps to ensure their content is hidden from the general public must bear all of their online personal life for the sake of a job ““ embarrassing photos, private conversations and even their Facebook friends’ personal information.

This is an unwarranted blurring of the lines between a person’s professional life and their private life. The fragmented information that Facebook offers is not enough for employers to gain an accurate perception of an applicant, especially when a simple comment to a friend could be taken out of context.

For instance, religious preference, political affiliation and sexual orientation are often all listed on a person’s Facebook profile, but have no formal bearing on an individual’s ability to perform their job in most cases.

But, subconsciously or not, some employers may be influenced one way or another by this personal information.

According to Facebook’s Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan, the site is considering taking legal action against offending employers, although no formal steps have been taken yet.

While both lawmakers and Facebook should start cracking down on this issue, the site’s users should also refuse to release their Facebook account information.

However, Facebook users, especially those hoping to attain high-level careers, need to regulate what kind of content is present on their pages.

While potential employers should not be snooping through others’ profiles, presenting oneself in a positive and professional light should extend beyond the interview. Even if an employer does not ask for access to an applicant’s Facebook account, they still may be expected to add coworkers as friends on the site once hired.

Because of both the possibility of discrimination against a job candidate and the violation of privacy this practice comprises, the government, Facebook and social network users must work to stop employers from delving this deeply into their online personal lives.

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