Facebook profiles endanger job prospects

The Facebook craze has swept campuses all around America.

For those not in the know, Facebook is a social-networking website for anyone with a valid email address from one of the innumerous colleges primarily located in the United States. Users create profiles listing personal information like telephone numbers, dating preferences and favorite books and movies.

They can also upload pictures of themselves and their friends, join groups based on shared hobbies or interests and send and receive private or public messages.

The Facebook epidemic has not been without repercussions, however, as police and recruiters have recently used it for purposes students may not anticipate when sharing their private information.

Some students at Pennsylvania State University found themselves in a whole lot of trouble last semester when police there used pictures posted to Facebook to identify people who rushed the field after a particularly exciting football victory.

I think it’s a safe bet that the students, who felt they “got away with it” when police were overwhelmed at the time of the event, went on to regret joining the “I Rushed the Field After the OSU Game (And Lived!)” group.

What’s interesting about cases like these is that the same students who put up pictures and information on Facebook would likely think twice before putting it up on the internet at large.

Facebook’s requirement of a school-issued email address has given many students the false impression that the only people who can read their profile are other students.

Too bad, then, that all school staff—policemen included—have school-issued email addresses as well; indeed, Facebook encourages alumni and staff to join.

The presence of alumni on Facebook is what leads to the other population of unexpected readers for students’ personal information: job recruiters.

These recruiters gain access to the site through a variety of means, but oftentimes they use the account of an alumnus employed by the company.

Viewing of user profiles is restricted to people from the same school, although one can change their personal options regarding this. Facebook has stated on its website that security purposes prevent them from allowing outsiders to see one’s profile.

Why should Facebook take such security precautions against “outsiders” from other colleges when employers are using personal Facebook.com profiles to check out job applicants?

While Facebook can cause strained friendships due to miscommunication, this involves personal action between peers.

However losing a job opportunity just because a recruiter and you don’t share the same ideological beliefs is unfair.

In a survey performed in 2005 by ExecuNet, 76 out of 102 surveyed executive recruiters looked up information on prospective candidates on internet search engines, and 26 of them eliminated candidates from consideration because of the results of these searches.

So Facebook users should be acutely aware that posting private information online makes such information available to everyone, including future employers who troll such websites to get a so-called “complete” picture of candidates being considered.

The people at Facebook should also to beef up their security measures and do their best to protect students from being affected by employment discrimination.

Facebook’s appeal lies in the fact that it fosters a stimulating online culture.

So students should not abuse Facebook, the website administrators should improve security measures and employers should understand that the restrictions on viewing profiles exist for a reason.