EEOC Looks at Facebook
Social media such as Facebook open up many new opportunities for hiring; many companies are reportedly finding that the best recruitment tool is having existing employees tap into their on-line networks. But easily-available information about job candidates may tell prospective employers too much, exposing them to claims of violations of laws on such matters as racial discrimination. A recent twist on this issue is offered by the EEOC, which has asked for pubic comments on whether employers should be prohibited from using social networking sites to research job candidates, since the searches could reveal information protected under the Genetic Information Nondisclosure Act.
Personally, we question how a ban on any access to on-line information could possibly work; there is so much data out there that building a legal wall of prohibition on use is like trying to hold back the ocean. But the public comments on the issue will be interesting and perhaps will contain some ideas for a workable solution.
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