Everyone has a story. What's yours?
 Linda Thomas
twitter: @TheNewsChick
About Linda
Linda is the morning news anchor and features reporter for KIRO Radio. This is her local news blog, with an emphasis on social media, technology, Northwest companies, education, parenting, and anything else that grabs her attention.

If you have a news tip or story idea, I'd love to hear from you...

To leave a voice message for Linda about any of her stories call toll free 1-855-251-2363

Follow Me on Pinterest


Fact checking Facebook password fears

April 4, 2012 @ 5:22 pm (Updated: 6:22 pm - 4/4/12 )

An Associated Press story a couple of weeks ago has mushroomed into a fear that companies all over America are asking for Facebook passwords as they consider job applicants. Now a Washington lawmaker has sponsored a bill to stop the practice.

Is this really happening? The ACLU, two U.S. Senators and State Senator Steve Hobbs think it is.

FBHobbs is proposing a Facebook bill that would make it illegal for any employer or potential employer in the state to request a password to gain access to any social networking site.

"As a society, we are more connected than ever, but that doesn't mean that employers have a right to read your email or drop by to take a look around your house. There are privacy settings on Facebook for a reason, and demanding access is a major violation of privacy," Hobbs says in a statement.

The bill also establishes a fine of $500 and attorneys' fees for violating the law.

Similar measures are being considered at the federal level, as well as in the states of Illinois and Maryland.

I think these are solutions for a problem that is uncommon.

The original AP story, written by a Seattle journalist, cited a single case of an unnamed private company that requested an applicant’s password. The story says Justin Bassett, a New York City statistician, had a woman ask for his Facebook login information during an interview. Beyond that anecdote, all of the examples related to jobs in the field of law enforcement, where more invasive background checks are common.

"My sense is that it happens, but it's not widespread," AP reporter Manuel Valdes tells me through Twitter. "It's more prevalent among public agencies involved in security."

A seed of a story grows into a bean stalk.

News outlets suggested the practice was becoming increasingly common. "More employers are requiring applicants to submit their Facebook password as part of the application process," NPR reported . On 97.3 KIRO FM we talked about the ethics of companies asking for passwords, or "shoulder surfing" by having an applicant show the hiring manager his or her Facebook account with the potential boss over their shoulder.

But who's doing this? People online love to "out" businesses that may be doing something wrong. Yet, no company name has been associated with this practice of prying for passwords.

I turned to almost 30,000 followers on my social media networks, asking if anyone knows of any individual this has happened to, or a company that has requested a Facebook password. Nothing. I've also asked Senator Hobbs if he had a constituent complain before sponsoring the legislation. I'm waiting for his response.

He does say the legislation is simple and won't distract lawmakers from their special session duty of balancing the state budget.

"There isn't a wrong time to protect privacy and civil liberties," he says.

More from Linda Thomas

MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (6)


  • Add A Comment

  • roomtemp wrote...
    You could pretty much tell this increasingly hypothetical employer...
    April 4, 2012 5:27 pm
    To go pound sand anyway.

    It is FaceBook's stated policy that password sharing is not allowed on a personal account. Doing so could easily be considered a violation or circumvention of a 'protection mechanism' which is against the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act).

    In effect, they can not legally ask you to break the law or violate someone else's TOS.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Hayduke wrote...
    If a corporation is a "person," then does that "person" have a right to your FB password?
    April 5, 2012 10:36 am
    And why do some who are so anti-government intrusion (as I am) shrug off corporate intrusion?

    I guess we peons haven't yet learned that corporate America knows what's best for all of us. So they know better than you what's appropriate to post on your own FB page.

    Oh yeah, and they have only our best interests at heart, right? That's why they need no oversight. The "Free Market" will magically weed out any bad apples.

    So with that, I have no problem telling them my password: it's F-U-K--O-F-F.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    I agree Hayduke my password is 4Q . . . .
    April 5, 2012 5:19 pm
    lets all post our passwords!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    Pretty ironic...
    April 6, 2012 8:24 am
    The concern about privacy is legitimate however Facebook is collecting massive amounts of data from it's members. At some point people will realize that everything they do on the internet is being collected for marketing purposes and possibly other sinister plans. George Orwell was only off by 28 years.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fixit wrote...
    So if an employer wants you to break the law....
    April 6, 2012 9:57 am
    I would just ask said employer if they were asking me to break the law. My company has a line for reporting people who are asking you to break the law on behalf of the company and I'd just call that as well as the Feds. Fire me, I can use the money. I'd love to see the company explain how they were using my employment to force me to violate a federal law to a judge.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • animalfreak98037 wrote...
    been screwed
    April 26, 2012 6:45 pm
    I work for a school district. My facebook page was accessed by my principal, even though I thought my settings were set to "friends only", thanks to a coworker.....Needless to say the outcome has not been pleasant. This law is needed to keep employers out of employees' PRIVATE lives.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }