Employers Seek Job Candidates Facebook Passwords

Facebook says hiring managers shouldn't ask prospective employees for their social-networking passwords, and it's taking a leading position in trying to ensure that companies don't overstep their bounds. Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan said Facebook has the ability to take legal action against companies that ask candidates for passwords and companies who do so could be opening themselves up to job discrimination claims. Not sharing passwords is a basic tenet of online conduct and, aside from the privacy concerns, Facebook considers the practice to be a security risk. Some state and federal lawmakers are developing rules to prevent such access, as well. As for students, college admissions officers so far have not been accused of the same thing, but you should be prepared with how you might handle such a question until this issue is resolved by lawmakers and the courts.