More and more recruiters and employers use social networking sites (e.g. LinkedIn, Facebook) to search for additional information on potential employees, to get a better handle on their personality through their hobbies, or even to eliminate them from the recruiting process in the event they discover information “they don’t like.” And this is precisely the problem—according to Nick Fishman and Jason Morris, recruiters should not use the data collected on social networks to eliminate candidates… unless they want to find themselves in hot water.
In "Recruiting with Social Networking sites: What you DO know can hurt you", the authors point out the risk of lawsuits employers are exposing themselves to with such practices. They also warn readers against overly relying on unchecked data, and discuss its legal and ethical ramifications.
It’s a handy white paper you should read to avoid finding yourself before the courts for the violation of individual rights and liberties.
Title: Recruiting with Social Networking sites: What you DO know can hurt you
Authors: Nick Fishman and Jason Morris
Publisher: EmployeeScreenIQ
Price: free