My opinion on this is that other than a very few exceptions (top security positions), the answer is an absolute no. I feel that it’s the same as asking to open their personal mail or requiring that we interview their personal friends. It’s just plain not right. And for those businesses that think otherwise, good luck with getting and keeping employees.
We are in the hiring process at the moment and while I would never ask for anyone’s social passwords, I do make it a habit to do a quick scan on the potential applicants social footprint. If they have a Facebook page or Twitter account I do look at it. My feeling is that whatever someone makes public is fair game. But whatever they choose to keep private is not. Again with some exceptions. In fact, in our business if someone is not involved with social media in some fashion it could be a negative.
Social Media is a new thing. We all still have to figure out how to use it. For individuals, having a sense that whatever they post can and will be found now and in the future. For businesses, having a sense that people’s private lives are just that, their private lives. And social media does not change that just because of the format it’s in.
