Employment Issues and Facebook When you think about social media, one thinks about Facebook, Twitter, a person thinks about pictures, videos, connecting with friends and just being online and tapped into the cyber world of the internet. When Facebook started it was primarily for the college students; it was a way for the older students to interact and keep in touch with their friends. But as years passed and technology became more advanced, Facebook grew to become implemented in everything from checking in at your favorite restaurant or uploading a picture straight to Facebook from a digital camera. Facebook has been so popular that most companies have begun to make Facebook part of their hiring process. They implement it in the process by looking up candidates on Facebook and any other social media site that they feel is necessary, and if they do not like what they see, then that can be a strike against them from getting the job. So the question is, are employers invading your privacy by searching Facebook? No, employers are not invading privacy by searching Facebook for three reasons: many people say it’s a violation of our First Amendment right, but in all actuality we have the freedom to look at whatever we please on the internet. Second, information on Facebook, especially the internet, is not always accurate. If it’s not accurate, it should be updated frequently, and the internet is one of the most accurate things out there so people should be aware and careful of what they post. Third, people say they change but if that’s the case that would reflect on your social sites because after all they are a reflection of you. While employers search Facebook, many say that they are invading our privacy as well as invading our First Amendment right which states that our first amendment right is part of the Bill of Rights that prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances.
Now although this First Amendment gives us the freedom of speech, it also gives the right to freedom which is the key word. This freedom allows us to do anything and say anything and live our lives the way we please which is why we call this country the United States of America: home of the free and the brave. If you think about it, it’s on the internet which is very public so therefore there is no violation. So if employers feel as though they need to check up on people via internet, then I feel that as though they have the right. They have the right to do a little background check to see what kind of person you are. They have the right to see if you are a suitable candidate that will be a good fit for their company. If you are a great person with a wild side and know how to keep your private life private and not posting it on the internet, then you will be fine. But if you are a great person with a wild side that plasters your private life all over the internet, you are portraying yourself as if you have no self-control and you will automatically get judged. It is sad but this is just how the world and the internet work.
A prime example of this is an article called, “Facebook Got Me Fired.” Author, Caleb Daniloff, goes on to explain how in this situation an employee asked for time off for a family emergency and how it just so happened to be Halloween, later on pictures of this employee were posted on Facebook of him out partying with friends. Somehow it got back to his boss because, remember, on Facebook a friend is a friend of a friend and anything can be seen by anyone. Daniloff adds that he was later fired for lying. This is a prime example of how Facebook or any other social media site can hurt one in the long run if not used correctly. First of all, why would someone decide to ask for
