1. Against the Use of Social Network Websites to Evaluate Employees Geoffrey Hohman CIS1055-07

2.  Headline News ◦ Souza Firing  Background Checks ◦ 45% of employers screen candidates through social networking sites ◦ Their findings concluded that 53% of these screened candidates posted inappropriate information and photos  Other Firings ◦ Roommate

4.  A social networking website is a means of displaying personal information online  It helps users connect with others who have shared interests, hobbies, and/or activities  Social Networking Websites  Facebook  Myspace  Twitter  LinkedIn

5.  Background Checks  Required ◦ Company Policy ◦ Contract Clauses  Matching Company and Employee Interests  Employee Conduct ◦ Illicit Behavior  Unprofessional  Immature ◦ Suspected Criminal Intent  Employee Performance

6.  Invasion of privacy  Impediment to our First Amendment rights? ◦ Labor Laws  Personal Life vs. Work Life  Acquired Maturity

7.  Technically it is not illegal  Much information is public  Employers have the right to fire an employee without due process  Discrimination  Policies and Contract Clauses  Fake Profiles

8. Out of 20 Participants

9.  There are several possible methods of change:  Legal Protection  Stricter Profile Settings  Employers must acquire consent from employee  Employers must disclose that they actively search your social networking profiles and pages

10.  Until proper legal action can be enforced against this behavior, we must protect ourselves  There are a few different ways to keep the employers at bay  Do not give your employer a reason to fire you  Take some precautionary steps to ensure your job security..

11. Take advantage of all security measures presented to you  Facebook Settings Do not racy comments or any comment in general that might upset your boss  “My boss is an #$&@ing idiot and can go &@$% himself!” = A BIG no-no as a Facebook status Untag yourself in any photo that presents yourself in a compromising manner K.I.S.S.

12. CENSORED

14.  This behavior is just plain wrong  It is an unacceptable method of evaluation  Employers should evaluate actual job performance and not Facebook statuses, Tweets, and pictures displaying drunkenness  Something MUST be done before the situation spirals out of hand

15.  Barry, Bruce. "Facebook, freedom and thin-skinned bosses." cnn.com. CNN, 11 Nov 2010. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/11/10/barry.facebook. firings/index.html?iref=allsearch>.  "Forty-five Percent of Employers Use Social Networking Sites to Research Job Candidates, CareerBuilder Survey Finds." Careerbuilder.com. Career Builder, n.d. Web. 14 Nov 2010..  Herold, Cathy. "Employers and Social Networking Sites." Suite101.com. Suite101.com, 26 May 2010. Web. 15 Nov 2010..  "Woman fired over Facebook remarks." msnbc.com. MSNBC, 10 Nov 2010. Web. 15 Nov 2010..