More Evidence That...

[untgirl04]

Ehhh, I'd say it's a smart policy. Unless you're using an outside entity to information gather from a person's social media, you're likely gaining access to protected class information, even if it's not private. Legally, you're not allowed to come upon age, race, gender, etc. in a search. If it's a question you can't ASK on a job form or in an interview, it's one you can't find the answers for online. What this means is you have to have a pretty complex search method and criteria, as well as concrete policies and procedures for how to handle the information. Anything less, and the company is open to lawsuits.

I know a few companies farm this stuff out, because then they can adopt the criteria from a vendor who's software or search methods can parse out the information that you're not legally allowed to view. Otherwise, you can't have anybody involved in hiring actually do the searches, and then they'd have to record and separate the information.

This. I work for a very large public company. We contract out the initial screen, so unless an employee knows a candidate personally, the first time we see a candidate's name is after they make it through the first resume and phone screens. An employee on the candidate's potential team then does a basic skills phone screen,and then if the candidate passes, they're brought in for a 4-6 hour in person interview. Employees who participate in interviews get trained precisely because the company doesn't want to open itself up to lawsuits. However, during the interview process we do quite a few behavioral interviews, so we get some pretty good ideas of a person's social media responsibility.

Also to clarify, the social media monitoring is specifically when the company is referenced.

Edited October 11, 2012 by untgirl04

[UNTflyer]

If a potential employer refuses to extend me an offer because of what I have on Facebook or GoMeanGreen.com, so be it.

On the other hand, I'm a pretty boring person so I doubt that will ever happen. The most controversial stuff on my timeline is my support for Romney... and according to Mitt that will only piss off 47% of the country.

I like those odds.

[Quoner]

What about this guy? http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2012/10/reddit_user_who_created_infamo.php

I heard here only young people crapped up the internet.

[hickoryhouse]

What about this guy? http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2012/10/reddit_user_who_created_infamo.php

I heard here only young people crapped up the internet.

That is just creepy.....