Not the angle I would use but….
by Jason Morris
This is a Canadian article so I will cut them a break, the FCRA is a U.S. law. We know that the practice of using sites like Facebook(R) and Myspace(R) for background checks is a gross violation of the FCRA. This article fails to argue that even without the FCRA it violates the common sense principle; How do you know its really your applicant that posted it? Section 607(b) of the FCRA requires “reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy” Utilizing this practice in the U.S. clearly violates this section.
Unfortunately, this practice is still on the rise and used by employers and recruiters across the globe. We can all debate the the ethics of it but quite simply, applicants should be careful about what they put out for public viewing.
Facebook background checks
Hold on partiers. With recruiters checking you out on Facebook, restraint may be in order
Derek Sankey, For the Calgary Herald
Social networking websites such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and blogs are emerging as one of the most commonly used tools by recruiters to conduct background checks and gain a sense of a job seeker’s character, say recruiters.
They achieved popularity among young people to keep in touch with friends and to share personal memories and information about themselves. For recruiters, the sites are being used for quite different purposes.
What started out as a simple practice of using search engines such as Google to find out about a potential candidate has now expanded to include a range of social networking sites and is becoming a common practice.
“It’s a lot more common than I think the prospective employees realize,” says Lynne Perry-Reid, a Calgary recruiter and co-founder of Corporate Connections.
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