Online privacy

[BroomJockey]

This probably could have gone in Politics, but I'm not sure the political leanings of those responsible are relevant.

http://montanasnewsstation.com/Globa...asp?S=10551414

A town in Montana wants people applying for government jobs to furnish all their User IDs for every online group they're a part of. Have a Youtube account? Gotta tell them. Facebook? MySpace? Better list it. Member of CustomersSuck or Fratching? You have to disclose that too.

That would be bad enough, but they also want your passwords for these as well! You might as well hand over the keys to your house, and take them on a tour. "Here's my diary, pay special attention to page 53, there's a great little bit about how I had crippling depression when I was 20. And here's where I keep the porno mags I inherited from my dad."

Sound a little excessive? Your Gmail, Youtube, and Blogger accounts are all accessible with the same log-on information. I can understand that places can and will attempt to find out all they can about you and your activities online, and many places have rules about what you can and cannot say online, so that you're not badmouthing the organization. But to require you to do all the legwork for them, and then *compromise your own security* in the process. A lot of people tend to use the same passwords on everything, so if the list ever fell in to "unscrupulous" hands, then it's an easy step to compromising your banking info. And what's more, giving out your account info is against the TOS for nearly every site, so they can terminate your account if they find out.

But if you withhold the info, and you get the job, all of a sudden you can be fired for lying on your application. Ask yourself, do you want your government to employ people who don't care about security or are willing to lie if it suits them? Because those are about the only two options.

[LeChatNoir]

How is it lying if you simply withhold the information? I would never compromise my "personal" (i.e. online) life for a job. It almost feels like them asking for bank account information, or your cell phone account. It's none of their business, city job or not. If they wanted to look at my MySpace, Facebook, etc. accounts I guess that is more power to them (except a lot of people are set to friend's only, myself included). Personally, that is the last straw. Background checks, fine. Credit checks, fine. But stay out of my personal life!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yeah, I agree. No way I'd give that info out. That is the exact same thing as giving them, say, the keys to your po box or safe deposit box and then signing an agreement that they can open it up and go through your mail.

And considering that I bank, shop, and do all manner of things online, that's giving them access to my bank account as well.

I'd never agree to work for a company that even suggested I do this.

[DrFaroohk]

No way I'd do that. God, if I had to give up every one of my online havens i'd have a nervous breakdown.

[BroomJockey]

How is it lying if you simply withhold the information?

Because they ask for "any and all." If you leave it off, you're stating that it doesn't exist, and therefore, you lied. It's not an optional question on the applications. It's like being asked if you have a criminal record, not answering the question, then later they find out you shoplifted a candy bar and served community service for it. You only "withheld the information."

The part that really scares me is at the end where the representative says that no one has asked for their application to be withdrawn because of this.

[BlaqueKatt]

But if you withhold the info, and you get the job, all of a sudden you can be fired for lying on your application. Ask yourself, do you want your government to employ people who don't care about security or are willing to lie if it suits them? Because those are about the only two options.

well there is a third option-give them the passwords and then change them when you get home from applying-then if they cal you on it-say you did it because you're concerned about online security and your password were breached and you didn't want your accounts compromised....

[BroomJockey]

That's actually the work-around arrived at on another board I'm a member of. We figured if you absolutely had to have applied for the job, give out passwords, or fake passwords even, and just change/say you changed them.

The only thing was, we weren't sure if the Town would see that as liarly or not, since you invalidated the information before they could use it. They could easily argue that you'd the responsibility to "correct" the information on your application as soon as it was invalid, and so you're back to having "lied."

[Slytovhand]

You have got to be kidding??

Ok, it's only been a couple of days, but surely there's going to be a massive lawsuit over this? (presuming, someone somewhere currently employed by them gets fired for refusing to hand over any details...).

I am permitted to have my own opinions of things that may run contrary to the governments. And, I'm also allowed to express that opinion (as long as, by doing so, I'm not identifying myself as being representative of that government...).

This thing is a crock!

Over here, the unions would scream so loud, the council/government would run and hide in shame (and... someone would be expected to resign over it! )

[Greenday]

I'm normally liberal when it comes to things like "What do you have to hide?" situations, but this goes over the top. I'd quit my government job in a heartbeat if they told me I had to hand over all my online information to continue working there.

[Rapscallion]

Trying to work out if I could remember them all...

Of note, however, is that they gave up on this as a stodding stupid idea.

Rapscallion

[tabbyblack13]

I read this article and I wondered who would give this information out. Then I remembered that a lot of people are out of work right now. If a person is desperate for a job then what are they willing to give up? I don't mind being asked for what networking and social websites I visit. I will draw the line at login and password info. What's next personal e-mail, checking/savings account numbers, stocks you have.

I will also argue that credit checks should not be used too, but that's for another thread.

[powerboy]

I would give them what sites, I visit. I would not name them all. But giving out login and password info, that is just going to far.

[DesignFox]

I would not provide my employer with lists of websites I frequent out of work or the corresponding passwords and login information.

As long as I'm not slandering anyone or giving out anyone's personal information, I don't see what business it is of my employer's what I say or do outside of work.

[Flyndaran]

Obviously some rules maker is subtly scoping out new porn sights.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Greenday, the attitude of "what have I got to hide" is a dangerous one. At least in the US, you are innocent until proven guilty. The onus is not on you to prove that you are innocent, it's on them to prove you are guilty.

Don't give up your rights just because you "have nothing to hide." You may not have anything to hide, but you sure enough have plenty to protect...your rights as a taxpaying American citizen.

I'm assuming you're from the US.