Skip to content
My WebMD Sign In, Sign Up
Last Reply:
Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?
avatar
Olivia_WebMD_Staff posted:
We've got HIPAA to protect our medical privacy from everyone, even our employers. But now, the new trend is for employers to demand access to your Facebook page or other social media accounts as part of the hiring process. If you use Facebook, you know that you can set your privacy to include only those that you WANT to share your information with.

So, if you talk about your battle with diabetes or depression, your family challenges, or other things that you only want to share with those you've friended, should your employer have a right to demand access to that personal space?

Tell us what you think!
25 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?We've got HIPAA to protect our medical privacy from everyone, even our employers. But now, the new <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/tech/Colleges-Employers-Demand-Applicants-Facebook-Passwords-141572703.html">trend is for employers to demand access to your Facebook page</a> or other social media accounts as part of the hiring process. If you use Facebook, you know that you can set your privacy to include only those that you WANT to share your information with. <br /> <br />So, if you talk about your battle with diabetes or depression, your family challenges, or other things that you only want to share with those you've friended, should your employer have a right to demand access to that personal space? <br /> <br />Tell us what you think!
Reply
FirstPrevious12NextLast
 
avatar
Hootyowl2 responded:
Absolutely not. I think employers are way too intrusive into our private lives nowadays and act like they own us.

Facebook has a bad habit of resetting our privacy settings without our knowing about it...

I ditched FB nearly a year and a half ago, and have no intentions of getting them back.

Hooty
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?Absolutely not. I think employers are way too intrusive into our private lives nowadays and act like they own us. <br /> <br />Facebook has a bad habit of resetting our privacy settings without our knowing about it... <br /> <br />I ditched FB nearly a year and a half ago, and have no intentions of getting them back. <br /> <br />Hooty
Reply
 
avatar
BalconyBelle responded:
Never. If your facebook settings are public, then you should expect that everyone (including your employer) has the ability to see whatever you post. However, if your page/post settings are private, they have absolutely NO right to demand access. It's invasive, intrusive, and completely unethical. No employer has the right to demand that level of access into a person's private life as a condition of employment or continued employment.

Frankly, I'd love to see a law passed that would officially grant & protect the same level of privacy that already applies to medical records towards an employee's private life via social media.
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?Never. If your facebook settings are public, then you should expect that everyone (including your employer) has the ability to see whatever you post. However, if your page/post settings are private, they have absolutely NO right to demand access. It's invasive, intrusive, and completely unethical. No employer has the right to demand that level of access into a person's private life as a condition of employment or continued employment. <br /><br />Frankly, I'd love to see a law passed that would officially grant &amp; protect the same level of privacy that already applies to medical records towards an employee's private life via social media.
Reply
 
avatar
Anon_160335 responded:
Bottom line......NO!
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?Bottom line......NO!
Reply
 
avatar
Barbsi responded:
Absolutely NOT! If your employer wants to know about your health he should just ask and if you wish not to share it with him he should not insist on "friending" you to find out what you do not want him to know. I feel that if I were told that the company needs to know or I can forget about the job, as difficult as it is these days to find one, I would let them know that they will have to do what they feel they must, but that I would not be pressured into giving up my personal business because they feel the need to know it. I can assure them that their is nothing in my health background that would effect my ability to work for them.
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?Absolutely NOT! If your employer wants to know about your health he should just ask and if you wish not to share it with him he should not insist on "friending" you to find out what you do not want him to know. I feel that if I were told that the company needs to know or I can forget about the job, as difficult as it is these days to find one, I would let them know that they will have to do what they feel they must, but that I would not be pressured into giving up my personal business because they feel the need to know it. I can assure them that their is nothing in my health background that would effect my ability to work for them.
Reply
 
avatar
Anon_999 responded:
No they shouldn't need it or want it. That being said nor should employees be using the computers at work or being on their own computers via these new phone things during work hours unless it is truly work related. Logging in to FB to me is not work related that is personal.

If FB is private then keep it that way don't log in at work or anywhere else for that matter - too much of your private stuff is everywhere thanks to FB - I never have nor will I ever join FB or even look at it. I have it blocked on my computer.
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?No they shouldn't need it or want it. That being said nor should employees be using the computers at work or being on their own computers via these new phone things during work hours unless it is truly work related. Logging in to FB to me is not work related that is personal.<br /> <br />If FB is private then keep it that way don't log in at work or anywhere else for that matter - too much of your private stuff is everywhere thanks to FB - I never have nor will I ever join FB or even look at it. I have it blocked on my computer.
Reply
 
avatar
Rod_Moser_PA_PhD responded:
Heck no....unless of course you waste time at work playing on this social network. Most employers monitor your emails and Internet use. Personally, I don't use Facebook or other social sites, but I do feel a person has a right to privacy. Just don't include your boss or co-workers as "friends".
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?Heck no....unless of course you waste time at work playing on this social network. Most employers monitor your emails and Internet use. Personally, I don't use Facebook or other social sites, but I do feel a person has a right to privacy. Just don't include your boss or co-workers as "friends".
Reply
 
avatar
lazydazey responded:
NO! Even if you agree to this intrusion of privacy, all your friends and family on FB didn't agree to have their privacy compromised....
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?NO! Even if you agree to this intrusion of privacy, all your friends and family on FB didn't agree to have their privacy compromised....
Reply
 
avatar
JenPBDBP2 responded:
LOL, my ex husband lost his job for being too dumb to keep his FB page private and posted how he wanted to punch his boss and what jack***** they were. He was on vacation and was told not to bother coming back.
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?LOL, my ex husband lost his job for being too dumb to keep his FB page private and posted how he wanted to punch his boss and what jack***** they were. He was on vacation and was told not to bother coming back.
Reply
 
avatar
MarySings responded:
No, no, no.

What an employee does in their free time awake from work is not public information. That's why fb fans have nicknames.

If a supervisor asked me what I did or belonged to, I would turn the table and ask why my answer mattered to my job.

Mary
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?No, no, no.<br /> <br />What an employee does in their free time awake from work is not public information. That's why fb fans have nicknames.<br /> <br />If a supervisor asked me what I did or belonged to, I would turn the table and ask why my answer mattered to my job.<br /> <br />Mary
Reply
 
avatar
redschu responded:
my husband and i think it absolutely has nothing to do with your job and should not be asked - my husband is a boss and wouldn't think of asking
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?my husband and i think it absolutely has nothing to do with your job and should not be asked - my husband is a boss and wouldn't think of asking
Reply
 
avatar
fitzgift responded:
ABSOLUTELY. NOT WHERE IS OUR PRIVACY ANYMORE!
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?ABSOLUTELY. NOT WHERE IS OUR PRIVACY ANYMORE!
Reply
 
avatar
Jis4Judy replied to Anon_999's response:
I agree anon _999
employees should not be useing FB at work that might be the issue that worrys the employer.. but whatever they do on their own time is not the Employers business,,
Hugs Judy
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?I agree anon _999<br /> employees should not be useing FB at work that might be the issue that worrys the employer.. but whatever they do on their own time is not the Employers business,,<br />Hugs Judy <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
Reply
 
avatar
angelswife responded:
I am fortunate in that I'm self-employed; but no---employers should not have access. What goes on outside of work has no bearing on what goes on at the job.

In my own opinion, having access would breed discrimination as to who was hired for a particular job. I chose self employment for that very reason, as I have a chronic illness. I don't have to worry about getting fired if I miss a day here and there due to health issues, because my "boss" already understands. I feel bad for those that don't have that option.

It is tough enough to find work already. There is no sense in employers making it even tougher.
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?I am fortunate in that I'm self-employed; but no---employers should not have access. What goes on outside of work has no bearing on what goes on at the job.<br /><br />In my own opinion, having access would breed discrimination as to who was hired for a particular job. I chose self employment for that very reason, as I have a chronic illness. I don't have to worry about getting fired if I miss a day here and there due to health issues, because my "boss" already understands. I feel bad for those that don't have that option.<br /><br />It is tough enough to find work already. There is no sense in employers making it even tougher.
Reply
 
avatar
sadblossom responded:
NO NO and NO. Enough said.
Report This| Share this:Should Employers Have Access to Your Facebook?NO NO and NO. Enough said.
Reply


FirstPrevious12NextLast
Back to Top
Back to Top

WebMD Talk Show

Feel like a friendly debate? Take the gloves off and defend your viewpoint.

Learn More