Background chec ==> Facebook?

[Hawkmoon]

The Norman, OK, police department is now demanding that prospective hires cough up their Facebook passwords so the cops can read their personal, private posts.

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/local/022311-oklahoma-police-department-facebook-passwords

Any lawyer types feel like offering an opinion as to whether or not this may pass legal scrutiny? My personal opinion is that it won't -- and if it does, it shouldn't. But I'm one of the troglodytes who don't even have facebook accounts, so for me it's just confirmation that I don't want to create an account.

[Pharmacology]

What's stopping applicants from simply changing the name on the account to a nickname?

[gunsmith]

I have two accounts, a vanilla one with three vanilla friends under my real name and my real account with my nick name and my wild and woolly friends. I'd have no problem giving the vanilla one.

[vaskidmark]

I have two accounts, a vanilla one with three vanilla friends under my real name and my real account with my nick name and my wild and woolly friends. I'd have no problem giving the vanilla one.

Which will get you 1) fired and 2) possibly prosecuted for fraud and terroristic crimes if they catch you on that.

Yes, it is considered legal because of the security issues, public trust issues, and the general "we will be in control of every aspect of your life" issues gooberment is into these days.  Any legal challenge will be met with "Nobody is forcing you to apply for the job."

I still do not understand why anybody would want a FacePage, MyBook type account, or why folks that have them are stoopid enough to put the stuff one seems to see most often out there for the public to laugh at.  But then I also do not understand either the why or the how of texting or tweeting - you've got voicemail, right?

stay safe.

[Balog]

Another reason all content on the internet is more or less public domain, esp when the cops get involved in any way. But hey, it's not like you have something to hide right? 

That being said, people are idiots for putting some of the things online that they do. The girl who posted pics of herself, ummm, orally servicing her dog, on an unsecured LiveJournal page comes to mind. The fact the trolls at 4chan got a hold of them and mailed them to her parents and every kid at her school is just an unfortunate but hardly unforeseeable result.

[HankB]

I still do not understand why anybody would want a FacePage, MyBook type account, or why folks that have them are stoopid enough to put the stuff one seems to see most often out there for the public to laugh at.  But then I also do not understand either the why or the how of texting or tweeting - you've got voicemail, right?

Agreed.

I have no Facebook or Myspace account, and if I want to communicate with someone, I phone or email them, rather than mess with a 140 character limit text message.

[T.O.M.]

Most Ohio courts view Facebook and MySpace as public forums, regardless of the privacy settings.  Kind of like the old saying goes, it ain't secret if more than one person knows about it.

[Boomhauer]

Which will get you 1) fired and 2) possibly prosecuted for fraud and terroristic crimes if they catch you on that.

Yes, it is considered legal because of the security issues, public trust issues, and the general "we will be in control of every aspect of your life" issues gooberment is into these days.  Any legal challenge will be met with "Nobody is forcing you to apply for the job."

I still do not understand why anybody would want a FacePage, MyBook type account, or why folks that have them are stoopid enough to put the stuff one seems to see most often out there for the public to laugh at.  But then I also do not understand either the why or the how of texting or tweeting - you've got voicemail, right?

stay safe.

Do you realize how silly your post sounds in light of the fact that you are participating on an internet forum that has many of the same features as Facebook? And some of us LIKE to keep up with friends and family...you can't share an album of 500 photos talking over the phone, for example.

As far as texting goes, some of us use it as a very useful tool. I'd much rather receive a quick text instead of having to access my voicemail (takes about 30 seconds) and listen to the message 2 or 3 times to get the info I need from it...the text message is accessed instantly and is on the phone for future reference, and if I am around loud stuff I can read the text message instantly instead of having to shut everything down or find a quiet area and remove all of my earpro. I also text myself address, phone numbers, simple directions such from my email account instead of having to keep up with slips of paper.

So, honestly, I'm a bit tired of hearing all the curmudgeonly ramblings about Facebook or texting every time someone mentions it. It's getting old.

[mtnbkr]

I still do not understand why anybody would want a FacePage, MyBook type account, or why folks that have them are stoopid enough to put the stuff one seems to see most often out there for the public to laugh at.  But then I also do not understand either the why or the how of texting or tweeting - you've got voicemail, right?

stay safe.

FB/MS/Twitter is like anything else out there, you can be stupid and get burned or use it responsibly and find it a useful tool.  I've been on FB for about 3 years now and have found it valuable for reconnecting and keeping in touch with folks I haven't seen in years.  I've also found it useful for coordinating or being made aware of events involving large numbers of people (group bike rides, my upcoming HS 20th anniversary, etc).

That said, I don't post anything I wouldn't say in a crowd of strangers and my security settings are such that if you weren't on my Friends list, you wouldn't see anything (and my name is generic enough that you're not going to identify my profile as mine without being "friended").

Since joining FB, I've had my DOD TS clearance renewed and landed a well paying job at an IT security firm.  It hasn't exactly harmed me.

Regarding texting, it's a great tool when you need to send something quick (where are you?) or can't talk (already on a conference call using another phone is a frequent usage for me).  I don't use it daily, but it has its uses.  Also, texts will go through when a voice call won't because it doesn't require real-time connectivity.  Think 9-11 or other major events.  A text saying "I'm ok" will get through when your call won't.  Imagine the value of that to your family or friends.

Chris

[gunsmith]

currently, I have a "tracfone" a pay as you go cell phone.
Texting is half the price of phone calls, important in the obummer economy.

I hardly use email anymore, its so old fashioned-I use it to communicate with the last of my Luddite friends who are frightened of the 21st Century

Really, I'm not to worried that my vanilla real name facebook is going to hurt me job wise,  my "real" last name is soo dang common anyway, & my nickname is the only name most folks know me by.

My sister and my mom are really into photo's - they used to send me tons of pictures in the mail, now thanks to face book I don't have to feel guilty about not looking or caring about photo's -they "tag" me I say oooooh nice and thats that , no more looking for places to keep stuff I never look at or care about.

I can simply check up on my younger relatives without having to make a phone call ( which means a 50/60 mile round trip for me ) & I don't really like talking on the phone much.

The local town is 30 miles away, I can drive and look at the post office bulletin board or stay right here & look at the facebook page - I can drive for miles to see if some one is home or click, no phones out here - very very rural.

[gunsmith]

Which will get you 1) fired and 2) possibly prosecuted for fraud and terroristic crimes if they catch you on that.

Yes, it is considered legal because of the security issues, public trust issues, and the general "we will be in control of every aspect of your life" issues gooberment is into these days.  Any legal challenge will be met with "Nobody is forcing you to apply for the job."

I still do not understand why anybody would want a FacePage, MyBook type account, or why folks that have them are stoopid enough to put the stuff one seems to see most often out there for the public to laugh at.  But then I also do not understand either the why or the how of texting or tweeting - you've got voicemail, right?

stay safe.

well, I wouldn't apply for a job that wanted to snoop thru my affairs like that

[BlueStarLizzard]

I prefer text to phone calls for just casual chatting. I hate phone calls about nothing, just keeping in touch. Texting I can watch movies or do something else instead of just talking on the phone.

[Perd Hapley]

Do you realize how silly your post sounds in light of the fact that you are participating on an internet forum that has many of the same features as Facebook?

Yet another reason NOT to use Facebook. I don't have anything against Facebook. I just still don't see the point of it.

[just Warren]

I am one of those curmudgeonly types and while I've no interest in Facebook I am going to start texting  more due to the fact my phone plan is unlimited for that and my talk minutes are not.

And I'm with Avenger in that I like the idea of the information being persistent*. If I forget something I can just go read it again rather than having to make call someone back. And, yes, texting is huge plus in noisy environments.

With Swype or the same type of program from other companies texting can be quite fast and accurate. Which, since I have sausage thumbs, is a huge boon.






* If you don't or you need more secure texts for some purposes try Vapor Stream

[Lee]

I think the policy is BS.  Granted, FB is a public forum, as are other internet forums, however, I don't think they have any more right to ask for a password to read semi- private communications, then they have a right to read your diary/journal or open your mail. If they can see it, as the public does, then fine. Essentially, they are asking for a key to your front door and the right to search through all your belongings.  I think that is more fitting for a criminal investigation - not a cursory hiring practice.
 I'm an older guy that does like Facebook. You can keep in touch without getting real close ha ha.  I've touched base with a lot of people I used to know well, but haven't seen in decades. It's kinda of like putting  a message in a bottle and tossing it in the surf, but knowing exactly where the current will take it.  The recipient can choose to reply or simply toss it in the trash.  I like that. 

[White Horseradish]

Yet another reason NOT to use Facebook. I don't have anything against Facebook. I just still don't see the point of it.

It's useful for organizing parties.

[MechAg94]

They could just ask the potential hires to friend them on Facebook and they can see most everything they post. 

IMO, Facebook is exactly what it says it is.  It is a social networking site.  People who would otherwise be on email or the phone all the time do that instead on Facebook.  People who don't do a lot of social networking don't.  I have a Facebook account, but I only have a few friends and a lot of relatives on it.  I could probably count on two hands the number of times in a year I log in. 

[MechAg94]

I agree with the point made above:  People put some really stupid stuff on line. 

[Perd Hapley]

It's useful for organizing parties.

Yeah, but what are parties good for?    I guess that's why I'm not into Facebook. Even off line, I avoid social networking like the plague.

[BlueStarLizzard]

I'm with Lee. FB is a good way to stay semi social, with folks you don't really want to take the time to call or email (not that I email) but do want to keep up with... I.e. high school friends, that ex you have no hard feelings towards, people you've meet but don't have time to really get to know at the moment, perverted hobbits with the sense of humor of a 13 year old that are just entertaining like a high speed pile up on the interstate (  )

My bf and I used to go to the downtown mall (bricked pedestrian street in the middle of c-ville) to sit at one of the resterant padios on nights with heavy traffic. We'd usually see at least ten-twenty people we knew and they'd see us. We called it being 'socially antisocial' because we just sit and wait, say hi to whomever and watch them fade back into the crowd.
Facebook is kinda like the web version.