Should Background Checks via Personal Sites be legal?

[GAX]

Okay, this is something that's thrown a curveball in the past ten years or so.

Some employers have started running background checks by tracking an employee's Personal Site, such as their Myspace page, Facebook, etc.

Honestly, should this be legal anywhere?

Faults I see with this method are namely that someone could create a false page to tarnish the reputation of another.

Another thing to add would be some employers actually firing employees because they have a personal site such as a page on myspace or a facebook.  That should be illegal (workplace discrimination).

What's your thoughts on this?

[Vell]

personally, I don't have a Myspace or Facebook so it doesnt bother me.

but I will say that it definitely shouldnt be happening.

so im with you on the make it illegal act.

[Fantasist]

but I will say that it definitely shouldnt be happening.

I second that. We should be payed for our work, and employers imo don't have the right to butt into an employee's personal life. Pay them for what they want, the rest is none of their business.

[Vell]

well i think i KIND OF know the reasoning behind it.

in an extreme example (which opens eyes) I would want to know atleast enough of my Employees' personal life and personality, to be sure im not employing a pedophile.

[Fantasist]

lol! Yes, but

I would want to know atleast enough of my Employees' personal life and personality, to be sure im not employing a pedophile.

I'm really curious, how much is enough?

[Blizzard]

I concur. There is a border which can be crossed where cautiousness turns into being a paranoid control freak.

[Vell]

somewhere before the point your talkin bout Fantasist

[Fallen Angel X]

Well I suppose it's legal by some sites like facebook because when you make one you give FACEBOOK the right to sell your information to 3rd parties like employers. But I agree, I personally don't want people to rummage through any sites I've been on and investigate me I'm with you on this one GAX!!!!

(I'm not sure about other sites but Facebook for sure enables employers to do this freely )

[Vell]

thats a disturbing thought. one more website on my list of 'go to and annihalate' list.

[Fallen Angel X]

It's true! I realized this after reading that thread concerning facebook then double-checking their privacy policy. They'll even check information about you from other sites So Facebook is probably a big contributor to how employers check about you.

[Vell]

*inputs Facebook again to the list*

[Unknown]

Well in all fairness I actually haven't heard anything about these new privacy laws. However, the thought that someone could just post a site, forum, or whatever to purposely endanger another persons job status is concerning. However, there's lots of guilty and innocent individuals that get 'arrested' (not convicted) of many crimes and wether they're found quily or not that arrest will always be on their record. That does effect folks socials status' within communities. I believe people should focus a little more on possibilies and the unknown factors surrounding their decisions. If people weren't so hasty in their decisions then I don't believe this topic would ever have been posted. All these laws and regultions serve as punishments for those that choose not to play by the moral laws of society; however 'unfair.'

Unknown

[Blizzard]

I know what you mean. But in these days time is money. People don't usually have the time to think through decisions. Well, it's more like, if they spend some more time on things like these, they will lose/not earn money. Even though it is illegal to impersonate somebody else or a not existing individual, I think that checking someone's background over the internet is not ok. Except, of course, if the person does not have any objections. My roommate is attenting a police academy next school year and because of that a few officers have asked around the neighbourhood what kind of person he is. Of course, my roommate had to agree for them to do so. If he hadn't agreed, he wouldn't have been able to attend the police academy.

In any case, my point is that something like this shouldn't be done without permission.

[Vell]

at least there asking aroundthe NEIGHBORHOOD, online people are different for varying reasons, most or all revolving around the sheer anonymity of the internet. if you use that anonymity and play at being a pedophilic person for jokes(who would tho?) with a bunch of online pals like once, and a prospective employer stumbles upon that, and(somehow) knows it you, well bam, your screwed. skies know I wouldn't do so much as half the things I joke around at doing online in reality. the internet is anonymous, you can't hold something people do online against them in reality. they just technically aren't the same person, even if they are.

[Blizzard]

Neighbour = British
Neighbor = U.S.


But let's not get offtopic.

[Vell]

no I meant like ATLEAST THEY DIDNT GO LOOKIN THE INTARWEBNET FOR IT!

[Blizzard]

I agree. People can easily be not the same on the web and in real life.

[Vell]

they just technically aren't the same person, even if they are.

as i said