It's no secret that a growing number of employers are searching Facebook and other social media sites for information on potential hires during background checks. The availability of searchable data such as past employment, affiliations, schools, hobbies and pictures makes these sites extremely popular when investigating job candidates.
Recent studies have revealed that 1 in 5 employers have been influenced in their hiring decisions when searching social media sites. That's a big number. While it's true that these sites can help employers gain additional information on applicants, employers should be aware of the potential minefield when using this information in hiring decisions.
Employers should keep in mind that a majority of these sites are vehicles for casually interacting with others in an informal, personal setting. When companies use these profiles to find professional information on a potential hire, the data they find may be at a minimum--misleading.
Not only can the information be misleading, it may also be inaccurate or false. Contrary to popular belief, just because it's posted online- doesn't mean its true! Few networking sites require verification of any kind or prevent users in making up a profile in someone else's name. Consequently, what you see is not always what you get. In addition, many people use the anonymity of the internet to be portrayed as they want to be seen, not necessarily as who they really are.
While there are no laws officially prohibiting employers from searching Facebook and other sites, legal experts warn that companies should be aware of the potential for discrimination or invasion of privacy claims.
So -while it might be tempting to use these sites, given all the potential pitfalls, it might make more sense to use "old fashioned" reliable systems and processes to perform these checks. Background checks that ensure employers are complying with federal and state laws and provide more reliable, accurate information.