A fairly recent development (I don't think it's as prevelant in game companies at the moment) is employers asking to see a potential hire's Facebook page. Someone at my job sent this around about it, it's a pretty good read.

http://raganwald.posterous.com/i-hereby-resign

Also as a note: it's speculative fiction, not something that actually happened, here's his disclaimer. Still, an enjoyable read.

http://raganwald.posterous.com/every...nts-dont-matte

simple solution:
drop facebook, think twice about what you put online

Originally Posted by MikeF

simple solution:
drop facebook, think twice about what you put online

You're coming to this conclusion because somebody wrote some speculative fiction?

My facebook is locked down tight, and even if anyone could view it, they'd just see me complaining about the weather...

MikeF: That is not the point of the article posted by artstream at all!

Interesting read, my initial response was: that's a ridiculous policy, invades on privacy waaaay too much! I hadn't even contemplated the possibility of the company itself being in trouble because of it.

For the past few years I've been pretty much the least anonymous person I know of online. I have a very unique name and I haven't bothered to hide behind anything but the flimsiest of aliases (such as this one). What this means is that I'm super easy to track down and it's a cakewalk to find out things like my birth date, where I live and numerous ways of contacting me.

I'm very well aware that I've made myself so visible online, so if there's something I don't want people to know, it simply doesn't find its way onto the internet. Ever.

I think that's something a lot of other people could do well to learn. There's no anonymity online these days, especially with the advent of widespread social networking. I'm not saying I like it, because I feel it's scuzzy for employers to look at employees' Facebook pages, but it goes with the territory now.

Originally Posted by Japhir

MikeF: That is not the point of the article posted by artstream at all!

Interesting read, my initial response was: that's a ridiculous policy, invades on privacy waaaay too much! I hadn't even contemplated the possibility of the company itself being in trouble because of it.

Not sure if you've been following the news in recent weeks but a plethora of companies, typically in the USA it should be said, have gone one step further than simply 'shoulder browsing' prospective employes by asking for usernames and passwords to conduct what can only be considered 'deep-data audits'. The sad part about the fuss this kicked up is [paraphrase]"the degree to which this should be allowed" instead of simply blackballing it outright. But... if you don't know your rights and volunteer that information then nothing wrong has been done. However, Facebook suggested that they'd considering prosecuting companies that did this (not through any moral obligation/outrage regarding the privacy of your information, but rather on the grounds of commercially exploiting their systems).

how is it any different from, say... a lead artist frequenting polycount, and prejudging whether they like an applicant or not based on their posting record here?

Originally Posted by almighty_gir

how is it any different from, say... a lead artist frequenting polycount, and prejudging whether they like an applicant or not based on their posting record here?

Well people tend not to act up here because for example you could be an employer I'm quoting to now. On Facebook people tend to just joke with their friends and they lose their inhibitions.

The worst thing would be tracking peoples youtube account. "This applicant has favourite Rick Astley Never Gonna Give You Up, this applicant commented: I could watch this all day, omg... I already have"

I'm sure you guys could come up with a more messed up example, especial Swizzle ^_^

@almight_gir There are certain things (at least in the states) that you are not allowed to discriminate over when it comes to jobs. However, most of these things are unlikely to come up during a job interview anyways and if they do it would send some red flags. If some asked you your religion, sexual orientation, how many partners you had been with all during an interview you would probably be shocked. However, for a number of people this could be found by perusing their facebook timeline. Also, if you're logging in they would have access to any and all messages you had sent. That in itself could house a huge amount of very personal information that you could have shared with close friends or family. This is more than you not wanting them to see some picture of you drunk from a night on the town. What if you had a bout with Cancer or were infected with AIDS or any other STD? This isn't your employers business to know and there would be no way to tell if they had not hired you due to a more qualified individual applying for the same job or that they just didn't like something they read.

Originally Posted by almighty_gir

how is it any different from, say... a lead artist frequenting polycount, and prejudging whether they like an applicant or not based on their posting record here?

It's not at all, people just need to stop being stupid about what they put online. My way of thinking is, if it's not something you would shout in a crowded mall, it doesn't belong online.

i has no facebook

Just be aware that if you don't want something out, you probably shouldn't say it online. And if you do, make sure it's hiding behind super sekret accounts and you only access them behind 9 proxies.

There is a certain amount of privacy that is thought to be behind facebook. Like I said, something on your wall is pretty public. Messages you send between you and your significant other are private and I know I've sent private messages that are just that. Private.

There is a huge difference between this and what you post here on polycount. Likewise, a lead artist can see your post history here. They cannot see any private messages you have sent to other members. This is no different than if an employer said, "Hey, can you open up your text messages on your cell phone? I need to take a look at that." Why and for what purpose would anyone need to see this information?

Originally Posted by almighty_gir

how is it any different from, say... a lead artist frequenting polycount, and prejudging whether they like an applicant or not based on their posting record here?

It's very different. It's really about you capitulating to an unreasonable request and voluntarily handing access (and possibly control) of your private data to a third party/complete stranger.

i really just dont care, there is nothing that would be bad for people to see on my g+ or FB accounts.

This is like companies demanding access to all of your personal emails.

Originally Posted by passerby

i really just dont care...

You should.

They can totally have access to my facebook, if I get access to the CEO's email account so I can know whats going on at a high level of the company. I can see them trying it on the guise of trying to protect themselves, but hey, I need to protect myself too and read about layoffs coming a couple months in advance ;)

Asking for your facebook password breaks your terms of use with facebook, and it gives the employers access to information that is illegal for them to ask for directly. I can be easily used as a form of discrimination.

I look at it this way. If someone doesn't want to hire me because I don't agree with all the things the govt does, the way our country (USA) is run, the crazyness I think of organized religion, the penis tanks and the jokes then well obviously they have their own issues to worry about.

What I do in my personal life is just that. It has nothing to do with how I work or the level of work I can do on a day to day basis, but that's just my opinion...

Since my friends and coworkers circles overlap pretty closely it's only a matter of time before my supervisors friend me on Facebook.

Good thing I don't got facebook.
Besides that I don't think It was one of the smartest ideas because well your whole life is or could be on there. Its like tweeting, who really cares?

Anyway invasion of privacy, is still invasion of privacy.
It should go if the employee has to do that, the employer should also do It by the employee. Works both ways doesn't It? or we are giving that up too?

edit

Originally Posted by Jesse Moody

What I do in my personal life is just that. It has nothing to do with how I work or the level of work I can do on a day to day basis, but that's just my opinion...

I completely agree with this. If an employer wants to ask about my personal life, its none of their god damn business.