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Social media background checks- While the concept of a social media background check is something that privacy advocates everywhere will want to take a shot at, what the practice really does is hold people accountable for their actions. Companies today want to know if an applicant has posted odd videos on the Internet or blog posts that contain racist or unsavory content, and every company deserves a chance to really know who exactly is applying for a job.
Of course, social media background checks cannot be the only tool companies use when deciding who gets a job. If someone over the legal drinking age posts a few pics of them hanging out with a cold beer, really what is the big deal? Just like many social network consulting firms are already stating, companies are looking for red flags. Those red flags include: references to drugs, inflammatory racist statements, and sexually explicit photos or messages.
Of course, social media background checks cannot be the only tool companies use when deciding who gets a job. If someone over the legal drinking age posts a few pics of them hanging out with a cold beer, really what is the big deal? Just like many social network consulting firms are already stating, companies are looking for red flags. Those red flags include: references to drugs, inflammatory racist statements, and sexually explicit photos or messages.
The bulk of the argument for the practice is that all the information being gathered is publicly available anyway. However, when a company is making a buck by putting someone's social network life into a little dossier pack to hand over, the practice does seem unsavory. However, if the applicant put it out there, they should be ready for the consequences.
Read more: Yahoo
