Use of Twitter / Facebook as evidence

[ufkacbln]

To separate this from other threads, I have posted this separately.

There is an increasing use of Facebook / Twitter as a social medium, but with occasional unseen effects:

Wetherspoons sacked a Manager after he made disparaging remarks about a customer on social media

Another female executive was turned down for a promotion after placing a picture of herself dancing topless on a table during a night out - it was decided that she was unsuitable

And we know all about tweeting that you have knocked over a cyclist!

In the US visiting a candidates Facebook / Twitter and other social media sites is considered as "due diligence" in researching the individual and their suitability. Some employers even ask for disclosure of these accounts as part of the selection process.

The Police have also used these accounts not only as evidence, but also to check on and on occasion disprove evidence or alibis

The question is - should Facebook / Twitter et al be a private conversation, or as it is in the public domain is it fair game for the Police, Employers etc

 

[roadrash]

simple...... if you want something to stay PRIVATE, then dont put it somewhere the whole world can see it

 

[Hill Wimp]

It's public ,simples.

 

[Raging Squirrel]

I'm on the fence about this one. There has to be a line between work and personal life, and I believe that what you do in your personal life is no one else's business.

But, at the same time, whilst being a raving lunatic in your personal life, if someone knows you work for a particular company, then in a sense you represent that company that you work for, whether it be in work time or not.

It's a bit of a catch 22, if I was the employee then I'd be pissed off that I had to watch what was being said or done on FB or Twitter, but if I was the employer, I wouldn't want some dickhead working for me and people knowing about it.

When I worked for Yates's Wine Lodge in my early 20's, we had to remove any signs of working there if we left the premises on breaks. The tie and the name badge had to come off, which in my opinion was a good idea.

So it's a bit harsh resorting to social media to sack someone, but then if that person never mentioned where they worked on their home page then I don't think such a process of evidence should stand.

 

[EltonFrog]

Don't subscribe to twatbook, then one won't have these problems. To answer the question, if it's on the web then it's in the public domain.

 

[ufkacbln]

simple, keep your Facebook private, so the people you want to see it are the only ones that will see, keeping it private blocks anyone not a friend from viewing your Facebook account and if you post something incriminating knowing it can get back to your boss, then more fool you...

But it isn't private any more...

Employers in the US routinely ask for the passwords to allow access, and a bid to make this illegal was defeated by a significant margin. At least one UK Company has also been involved in requesting this information at interview

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Tbh, in googled three applicant for a role 18 months ago after their interviews.
Why, it's easier to see who's out on he lash midweek then boasting about being hungover at work the next day as I often see.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

More than one company. It'd be interesting to see if they found out if you set up a sanitised account to give to vetting & kept the dogging weekends, nicewaycode support, closet passion for Last of the Summer Wine and other social oddities just for yourself and like minded people.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I've rejected several applicants for jobs that I've advertised, based on the drunken antics that they'd posted on their Facebook pages. If people are dumb enough to post that sort of stuff, then I don't want them working for me.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

If its on the net, its not private no matter what settings are available on the application.. If you want something to remain private keep it to yourself.

its not like the system administrators who support these systems have full access to the servers, or your data.. and there is no possibility that some of these could talk to each other, or share amusing private snippets between themselves.

 

[classic33]

How do people view the fact that a person "has a facebook account" that they have no access to. I'm aware of three, in my name. All three have details that come fairly close to the real me & on one, work detail are mentioned. Constant reminders, sent to a employment only e-mail address, do I know this person, that person.
I've never had a facebook account, they ask for too much information for my liking. How do I prove that its not me?

 

[ufkacbln]

I think there was some law passed recently in the U.S or some state making it unlawful to demand passwords or log in details, sorry can't remember who, when or anything else, so I could be mistaken

A national law as an amendment to the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act was put forward and overturned by the House of Representatives. The only laws are 6 (out of 51) State specific and not enforceable on large Companies who simply interview out of state

 

[Dan B]

its not like the system administrators who support these systems have full access to the servers, or your data.. and there is no possibility that some of these could talk to each other, or share amusing private snippets between themselves.

All the sysadmins I know or have ever worked with are (a) too professional, (b) too overworked to bother going through user files for fun.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

All the sysadmins I know or have ever worked with are (a) too professional, (b) too overworked to bother going through user files for fun.

I would like to think that every sysadmin I have ever known falls into what you describe, but that is not the case. As with any industry you get rouge employees, and basically scumbags and IT is no difference.

I worked with a sysad at a previous company who went on to work for a social networking service and shared data about people I was still working with at the time.
I sent some of the communication to the email address for 'abuse' to the social networking company and never heard anymore. As someone who has seen confidential information shared in this manner, I believe that it is foolish to believe that it can't happen or does not happen.

If data comes into contact with people, its not secure or private unless encrypted.. ask Edward Snowden (excessive example, but it shows ultimately the risk in believing data is safe) - if you want something to remain private don't put it online

 

[Pat "5mph"]

How do people view the fact that a person "has a facebook account" that they have no access to. I'm aware of three, in my name. All three have details that come fairly close to the real me & on one, work detail are mentioned. Constant reminders, sent to a employment only e-mail address, do I know this person, that person.
I've never had a facebook account, they ask for too much information for my liking. How do I prove that its not me?

Could only happen to you