Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The answer is no

The story today is about whether or not you would give a future (or current, I guess) employer the login and password for your Facebook account. In the article by the Toronto Star, one man had the luxury to refuse--the other didn't. Heads up now: I may not have the luxury, but I would also refuse. It's just a bit too "off" of a request for me. Why don't they just ask for the keys to my house, car, and the PIN to my credit and debit cards? I mean, get it all out and over with right at the start?

I think that's the point for me: if it starts, where does it stop?

Most people probably still don't even share their passwords with their friends or family--how can it be expected that they'll share it with an interviewer that they've never met before that moment?  I can ALMOST see the question being a trick one--one to test your integrity or ability to keep confidential information secret.  But that's tricky.  And it wasn't the case.

The whole point of Facebook is to keep in touch with your friends, not to give your personal information to strangers.  Sure, there are professionals (I'm thinking of teachers, first and foremost) who censor their content and accessibility to their pages on a regular basis, but I'm not one of them.  As Malcolm will tell you (sometimes to his dismay), I don't believe that I should have to censor the things that are mine.  If they're mine and I have chosen to share them with you, you're more than welcome to share.  If I don't know you and I haven't shared with you, butt out.

No comments: