Facebook Password

Is it right for your employer to ask for your password to your Facebook account?

In a CNN article, "ACLU: Facebook password isn't your boss' business" written by Doug Gross on March 22nd, 2012, talks about how employers are wanting their employee's login information to their Facebook account. In one case, Robert Collins was a correctional officer in the Baltimore area was asked for his password by his employer. He did not want to give up his login information but really needed his job. The reason behind why the employer wanted the password was to make sure he was not affiliated with any gang. The employer went through his personal messages, looked on his wall, and through his pictures. The American Civil Liberties Unions (ACLU) ruled this an invasion of privacy. Employers are not allow to deny the right to employment based on whether or not they hand over their password. In another case, Justin Bassett was asked at a job interview for his password and refused. He probably did not end up getting the job. 


This is getting to be a violation of privacy and if we allow employers to ask for passwords to Facebook or Twitter then pretty soon it will be employers opening mail and asking for house keys according to the article. This is also a violation of Facebook's Terms of Service which clearly states: "You will not share your password, (or in the case of developers, your secret key), let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account."






I believe that employers are starting to go to far with all the new technology that our society is now relying on. I find it completely acceptable to go on an employees Facebook page and "creep" on them by looking at their wall and through their photos. But I do not find it acceptable that employers to login into their employees' Facebook and go through their messages, wall and photos. As long as the employer can see what is on their employees' walls and their photos without logging into their actual Facebook account, then it is completely acceptable. 


This is also a reminder to employees to set their privacy settings so their Facebook page is private to the public and only who they are friends with can see their page. As long as their Facebook page is private and not friends with their employer, they should not worry about their employer "creeping". Also, if you are worried about things on your Facebook page, GET RID OF IT! You should never put up pictures of drinking or smoking and never post statuses that inappropriate that could put you endanger of losing your job.