Many would argue that for every rule, there are exceptions. We are willing to concede that this is one of those, if only for the safety and security of government agencies and the lives of their employees. But as it stands, we still believe that the use of social networking sites to determine whether or not an individual should be hired is a big no-no for the majority of businesses. Unless having an online profile represents a security issue (as is the case here), employers should refrain from using sites like Facebook and MySpace as a hiring tool.
Social networking websites make recruiting spies difficult
By Ken Munro, SC Magazine – February 3, 2009
A social networking world makes it harder for the intelligence services to recruit a spy without a profile.
Imagine the scene. James Bond enters the HQ of a criminal mastermind intent on world destruction. Waiting for him are a host of henchpersons, all armed to the teeth.
“We’ve been expecting you, Mr Bond,” says the evil Blofeld, stroking his white Persian cat. “We saw your Twitter update.”
The UK’s universities are a prime recruiting ground for our intelligence services. Clever, well-versed students apparently make excellent espionage agents.
Herein lies the problem: if you’re planning on having a second identity for undercover work, it doesn’t help if your photos, friends and real name are splattered all over various social networking sites. Try finding a student at a university who hasn’t done just that.
The UK’s intelligence agencies are worried. From schoolchildren on Bebo, through Facebook-obsessed young professionals, to well-networked CEOs on LinkedIn, having an online presence is a must in this day and age. But with the explosion of social networking sites, it has become virtually impossible to find recruits who don’t have some sort of an online trail.
