Social Media Background Checks - a Reality!

[squallumz]

i dont know about you, but i find this shit extremely offensive. especially since i wouldn't be caught dead with one of em.

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.

http://news.yahoo.com/social-media-background-checks-going-popular-173400004.html

 

[Hot Mega]

Another article....(article includes screenshots...sorry Ulysses..didn't upload them and post them....):tongue:

My background most likely says..."Subject seems to have a particular interest in licking girls 'asswholes' and lesbo Euro porn...(Report note: Search for more information on Kathia Nobili, Debbie White, Jayden Jaymes and a Miss Hybrid)..:o

I Flunked My Social Media Background Check. Will You?

Mat Honan — Your next job application could require a social media background check. Odds are, you have no clue what that means. Nobody does. It's new and scary and probably scours the Web for pictures of you puking on the beach.

But screw speculation. We wanted to know. So we ran background checks on six Gizmodo employees.

Here's what we found, and why you should both freak out about and embrace it.

First, some context: In May, the FTC gave a company called Social Intelligence the green light to run background checks of your Internet and social media history. The media made a big hulabaloo out of the ruling. And it largely got two important facts wrong.

Contrary to initial reports, Social Intelligence doesn't store seven years worth of your social data. Rather it looks at up to seven years of your history, and stores nothing.

The second was the idea that it was looking for boozy or embarrassing photos of you to pass along to your employer. In fact it screens for just a handful of things: aggressive or violent acts or assertions, unlawful activity, discriminatory activity (for example, making racist statements), and sexually explicit activity. And it doesn't pass on identifiable photos of you at all. In other words, your drunken kegstand photos are probably fine as long as you're not wearing a T-shirt with a swastika or naked from the waist down.

Collected at link....
http://gizmodo.com/5818774/this-is-a-social-media-background-check

 

[Hot Mega]

But but...what if some asshat has dummied up 'accounts' and attributed them to you??:violent:

It can seem harsh and like employers are being unfair on new prospects, but there’s good reason for SMB owners to be weary. With the rise of social media, it’s more likely than ever that a customer will encounter your employees online or that they’ll be representing your company to the world when you’re not looking. Sometimes protecting your business means not handing a loaded gun to someone who may blow a hole right through it. In the world of Twitter, would you trust an intern with your brand knowing they had a history of being quick lipped on their Facebook wall or berating old employers?

As nearly half of all employers have figured out, sometimes the best way to find out how a potential employee will represent themselves online is through a quick Google and social media background check.

There are plenty of sites to check out, so where do you start? Twitter, as it will often give you the most complete picture. After that – Facebook. As a small business owner, most of your potential job candidates will be local. That means they’ll probably be located in your home “network” so you’ll have default permission to access their profile without having to Friend them. Just do a search for their name and you’ll immediately have access to their photos, personal and school information, and, of course, their Facebook wall.

:lurk: at link....
http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/social-media-background-checks.html

 

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

I famously flunked the Psych Test for both LA Sheriff's Dept and LAPD. The people at the internet store definitely won't be letting me in their treehouse. The voices in my head keep me pretty good company though.

 

[Hypergalaxy]

Background checks to see if you are a criminal fine. Background checks to see what size tits you like or who you have been flirting with


Lets all wave goodbye to our privacy since a handful of people happily gave theirs away it looks like its going to be mandatory now.

 

[squallumz]

it was a few months back when i was applying for work online that i saw people asking for a link to all applicants myspace/facebook accounts. i was furious. needless to say, i took the time to tell them off for such an asinine request, stating that not everyone had one of this stupid things.

i didnt get the jobs, obviously. at least, not from those assholes.

like i said, its actually quite offensive.

 

[Hot Mega]

Background checks to see if you are a criminal fine. Background checks to see what size tits you like or who you have been flirting with


Lets all wave goodbye to our privacy since a handful of people happily gave theirs away it looks like its going to be mandatory now.

Don't fuck with Spacebook and Myface...don't use the email for your online profiles you associate with your professional contacts...

Not sure how far that will go but that part seems to be at least a start...

 

[Hypergalaxy]

Don't fuck with Spacebook and Myface...don't use the email for your online profiles you associate with your professional contacts...

Not sure how far that will go but that part seems to be at least a start...

Oh trust me all my accounts are separate and private. I am the last person beside my gf that I know personally who actually enjoys their privacy.

 

[lurkingdirk]

Here's a fucking thought:

Don't put anything online that you will regret people seeing. That way, if you must use facebook or whatever, there will not be any problems.

Yes, that's correct. You are responsible for what you post online, what you allow people to post of you online, how you behave in public places, and so forth. If you're concerned that pictures or a video of you will prevent you from getting a job in the future, how about you don't allow that material online, or don't allow people to take the pictures/video, or don't act like that in a public place in front of people you can't trust.

mmmK? Problem solved. Now, let them look all they want at your profile. Who fucking cares? It's a social media site. Do you really expect privacy on a website you get on to interact with other people?

 

[Hot Mega]

Here's a fucking thought:

Don't put anything online that you will regret people seeing. That way, if you must use facebook or whatever, there will not be any problems.

You're out one night having a good time and drinking. (So called) Friends take a load of pics including some unsavory ones of you. They post them on their wall...then spill the beans about it all over your wall...

What then?:dunno:

 

[lurkingdirk]

You're out one night having a good time and drinking. (So called) Friends take a load of pics including some unsavory ones of you. They post them on their wall...then spill the beans about it all over your wall...

What then?:dunno:

Don't get drunk in public if you're worried about the pictures that might come out of it?

:dunno:

Still seems like you are responsible for yourself regardless of being sober, drunk, high, or just stupid.

Also, you can delete posts from your own wall, untag pictures of yourself, delete posts that mention you, and demand that people take pictures of you down if they were posted without your consent.

 

[Hot Mega]

Don't get drunk in public if you're worried about the pictures that might come out of it?

Still seems like you are responsible for yourself regardless of being sober, drunk, high, or just stupid.

Is that before or after you discover your boss or potential boss is raiding your recreational musings and places you share them on in order to unwittingly use it against you?

Also, you can delete posts from your own wall, untag pictures of yourself, delete posts that mention you, and demand that people take pictures of you down if they were posted without your consent.

Is that before or after the damage is done?:dunno::o

Pretty hard to watch out for things most people consider normal behavior before you know the unforeseeable ramifications.

One typical online scenario...

You: Well hi Betty. Nice to meet you.

Betty: Same here....I like you profile...

You: Why, I like yours too...do you have any more pics.

Betty: Yes!!! I'll send them right away.

You::nanner:

Betty: Hey did you get them?

You: Yeah...but hold on. I have to reboot my computer for some reason. It's action up. brb...

Betty: Surre.:stir:

You: Back..my computer is really acting weird now.

Betty: Really? Sucks...I hope you get it figured out.

You: wtf... brb...

Betty: (Who is really Billy)..Sssssucker...no let me raid this clown for his personal info.

You: Back! Betty?

You:(?)

You: confused

Months later you find out some on has been in your emails and other accounts and you wonder how.

What would you have done differently then...well, knowing what you know now... but when you didn't know any better you wouldn't have done anything differently...

 

[lurkingdirk]

Is that before or after you discover your boss or potential boss is raiding your recreational musings and places you share them on in order to unwittingly use it against you?


Is that before or after the damage is done?:dunno::o

Pretty hard to watch out for things most people consider normal behavior before you know the unforeseeable ramifications.

One typical online scenario...

You: Well hi Betty. Nice to meet you.

Betty: Same here....I like you profile...

You: Why, I like yours too...do you have any more pics.

Betty: Yes!!! I'll send them right away.

You::nanner:

Betty: Hey did you get them?

You: Yeah...but hold on. I have to reboot my computer for some reason. It's action up. brb...

Betty: Surre.:stir:

You: Back..my computer is really acting weird now.

Betty: Really? Sucks...I hope you get it figured out.

You: wtf... brb...

Betty: (Who is really Billy)..Sssssucker...no let me raid this clown for his personal info.

You: Back! Betty?

You:(?)

You: confused

Months later you find out some on has been in your emails and other accounts and you wonder how.

What would you have done differently then...well, knowing what you know now...

Don't get on FaceBook if this is your worry.

Or be a responsible person and don't get yourself into situations that will provide compromising pictures to anyone.

Honestly, that doesn't seem like that tall an order to me.

 

[Hot Mega]

Don't get on FaceBook if this is your worry.

Or be a responsible person and don't get yourself into situations that will provide compromising pictures to anyone.

Honestly, that doesn't seem like that tall an order to me.

Point is..one can only know and react to hazards they have knowledge of.

Every circumstance has a 'patient zero', etc. You know, the one who first ate the contaminated food at the restaurant from which others now know from his example.

What you're alluding to is being wary of the unforeseeable or situations that aren't apparent to the average individual.

Going by your rule of thumb...people should never eat food from the grocer's, a restaurant or do anything (which amounts to almost all things outside of a padded room) which risks unforeseeable hazard..

Utopian to be sure but not the real world IMO.

 

[Legzman]

 

[lurkingdirk]

Point is..one can only know and react to hazards they have knowledge of.

Every circumstance has a 'patient zero', etc. You know, the one who first ate the contaminated food at the restaurant from which others now know from his example.

What you're alluding to is being wary of the unforeseeable or situations that aren't apparent to the average individual.

Going by your rule of thumb...people should never eat food from the grocer's, a restaurant or do anything (which amounts to almost all things outside of a padded room) which risks unforeseeable hazard..

Utopian to be sure but not the real world IMO.

Not really a viable argument. Getting drunk in public is not an equivalent to eating from a grocery store. Yes, both have unforeseeable risks, but you have to buy food from somewhere. You do NOT have to get drunk in public. It is entirely possible to live life in such a way that no pictures of you that would alarm a potential employer appear online.

Am I wrong?

 

[Hot Mega]

Not really a viable argument. Getting drunk in public is not an equivalent to eating from a grocery store.

Getting drunk in public (or even drinking)?? I just don't follow your logic here...of course it's not the equivalent act....but the similarities are whether a person should necessarily concern themselves with engaging in legal, everyday behavior? You say getting drunk...but what if your boss or potential is just a zealot who objects to drinking of any sort? What normal person would otherwise worry about having a simple night out of drinking where they are theoretically breaking no laws coming back to haunt them because someone else went out of their way to know this information then overreacted to it???

Yes, both have unforeseeable risks, but you have to buy food from somewhere. You do NOT have to get drunk in public. It is entirely possible to live life in such a way that no pictures of you that would alarm a potential employer appear online.

Am I wrong?

No..you're not technically wrong...the question is whether your position is practically reasonable in the foreseeable. I doesn't even have to be drinking. It could be some other lifestyle the person judging through their personal prism objects to. What if the person sees the some black chick is dating white guys and personally objects to that?

I get that you're saying people should control the perception others have of them and it begins with control of the content about you they have access to. But like I said, it's impractical to cover any and all contingencies on this kind of stuff. You may think you're covering all bases by not even opening such accounts as FB but that doesn't cover you in the event people you know post the pics they have of you there.

If it's a pic you knowingly consented to having taken...that is their property even though it depicts you. And they don't have to do anything but what they want to with it.:2 cents:

 

[lurkingdirk]

Blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah.

You are, of course, right. You can not predict the responses of your future employers, and if you are applying to a ridiculous zealot, then good luck. A picture of you holding a beer can be found to be objectionable. Any innocent picture can be found to be objectionable for some. For example, someone I know recently saw a picture of me holding hair clippers near Petra's ass. An obvious plea for help from Petra, for those who know her. An inappropriate picture of me near a female ass for those who don't.

I'm going to go ahead and insist on my point again - not because I'm a dick, or because I think you're wrong...I think everyone should live their life as they are comfortable. I, for example, never drink heavily in public. This is because it does not behoove my lifestyle. There are also future employment considerations that prevent me from getting blitzed in public. I choose that path. There is no way that any future employer for me could possibly object to any picture of me on the internet, FaceBook or otherwise.

Have I not done myself a service? Have I not prevented a shitstorm?

 

[STDiva]

Funny story. In highschool, I received a call from Blockbuster, the manager told me he was downloading Who Let The Dogs Out on Kazaa, but it turned out to be a mpeg sex tape of me and my (then) step father. They were so impressed with my submissive behavior, they actually offered me a job, assuming they could fuck me in the ass as hard as my alcoholic step father did. I took the job.

The moral of this story? Sometimes something good will come of the trash you post online.

 

[Petra]

it was a few months back when i was applying for work online that i saw people asking for a link to all applicants myspace/facebook accounts. i was furious. needless to say, i took the time to tell them off for such an asinine request, stating that not everyone had one of this stupid things.

i didnt get the jobs, obviously. at least, not from those assholes.

like i said, its actually quite offensive.

Over here in the NL, potential employers want to see your birthday and photo on your CV. Not all companies require this, but several companies I applied to rejected my CV for these reasons.

And I thought that was offensive...