Your On Line Chat Could Lose You A Job -

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Your On Line Chat Could Lose You A Job

Posted By: Kevin Rowson

11 Alive news

June 23, 2009

MARIETTA, GA -- You never know who might be watching you on the internet. Your playful bantering with friends on the web could jeopardize your job or being hired for a job.

More and more, employers are searching for information about you on the web. Things you say that are personal could be used against you. What you say and do on the internet is public record. "And some people speak very freely and very personally on those networks and don't realize that all of that information is retrievable," says Marietta Police Chief Dan Flynn.

It's called "cyber-vetting." Employers are gathering background information on applicants and promotion candidates by viewing their internet activity. What you think is personal conversation could come back to haunt you.

Chief Flynn says cyber-vetting is a very important part of his hiring practices. "The very best predictor of future behavior for someone is past behavior," Flynn said. "So I want to know everything I can about their background before I sanction them to be in a very vital job."

This trend by employers is raising alarming issues about privacy rights and constitutional rights of freedom of expression. Until those issues are resolved, Chief Flynn warns people, especially young people you can ruin your career before it even starts. "Every personal thought they share with friends, that's all retrievable these days if you do it over the internet," he said. "That includes over a cell phone, and text messaging."

Have you ever sent or received a seemingly harmless joke? Have you ever sent or received a compromising picture? Have you written something in a fit of anger, or excitement? That's what Chief Flynn says he's looking for. "People who have very little self discipline or self control don't necessarily belong in the more responsible jobs in our society."

Though there is debate, Chief Flynn says it is perfectly legal. Companies are free to roam the web like you and I. "Wouldn't you like our police organization to know who we're hiring and know everything I can about that person before I send them into interviewing an intimidated victim of a crime?"

Chief Flynn says he would hate to think we have young people who have the potential to be very great leaders in our society that are dooming themselves by some silly banter with their friends on line.

http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.as...40&catid=40

Edited June 24, 2009 by Kathryn41

[Marina-Del 10]

Yeah, my dad is a crazy internet stalker

Or rather, he sits at home all day and does nothing but roam the internet, but he told me the other day that he looked up my name and found that I'd been chatting on a forum all the time. I said, uh...do you mean Visa Journey? And he said, yeah that's it!

But when I type my email or my name into google I don't get any links to VJ so I have no idea if he was getting confused or if he is just that awesome at internet stalking!!!

My VJ account is accessed by my email, which is my name. My VJ username is not my name though, so he had to have found it by the email.....

[Y's_habibitk 2]

Have you ever sent or received a seemingly harmless joke? Have you ever sent or received a compromising picture? Have you written something in a fit of anger, or excitement? That's what Chief Flynn says he's looking for. "People who have very little self discipline or self control don't necessarily belong in the more responsible jobs in our society."

I agree with this and if you post on a public message board or anywhere on the internet for that matter, you should know that it is indeed PUBLIC.

So, I say let them have their stalking sessions in order to make important hiring/promotion desicions.

[Nessa 23]

if my boss read what i say about her, maybe she''ll get a clue and change her behavior.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Have you ever sent or received a seemingly harmless joke? Have you ever sent or received a compromising picture? Have you written something in a fit of anger, or excitement? That's what Chief Flynn says he's looking for. "People who have very little self discipline or self control don't necessarily belong in the more responsible jobs in our society."

QFT

Alsso, the privacy settings on social networking sites are there for a reason.

[jundp 191]

Hmmmm....this depends. Though when teaching mass media, I do remind the kids that what they say out there is never going away....

[Bobby+Umit 161]

I love this.

It's perfectly legal for companies to do this, but not illegal for them to run your SSN to see if your legal...

go figure...

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I'm pretty sure I've been vetted for a high profile position and the person that picked me regretted it later because of some positions I've taken on this site which they may have read after the fact. I only say this because of some heavy hints being dropped during the course of my work with them but it's all over now and behind me and I did what I set out to do and have that experience.

[Kar98 0]

Hmmm, maybe an e-mail account different than from the one used all over the net might be a good idea for these purposes.

[NickD 202]

Your employer owns you, your body, heart, mind, and soul. If hourly, a couple of bucks an hour while you are punched in, if salaried, 24/7. While we may think we live in a democracy our jobs are in a dictatorship, screwing around on his time is good reason for dismissal. Most business computers are on a LAN, while you may have restricted access, the guys in IT don't. Many businesses also monitor all incoming and outgoing calls, there is the cell phone, but see many businesses require they be turn off before entering the door. You owe your soul to the company store.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Hmmm, maybe an e-mail account different than from the one used all over the net might be a good idea for these purposes.

That's actually what is recommended - setting up an email account that you only use for business. Of course, it is also always interesting to see what a google of your name picks up - at least for those of us with relatively unique names.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Yeah, my dad is a crazy internet stalker

Or rather, he sits at home all day and does nothing but roam the internet, but he told me the other day that he looked up my name and found that I'd been chatting on a forum all the time. I said, uh...do you mean Visa Journey? And he said, yeah that's it!

But when I type my email or my name into google I don't get any links to VJ so I have no idea if he was getting confused or if he is just that awesome at internet stalking!!!

My VJ account is accessed by my email, which is my name. My VJ username is not my name though, so he had to have found it by the email.....

Believe, or not, all the posts on VJ are Google accessible.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Hmmm, maybe an e-mail account different than from the one used all over the net might be a good idea for these purposes.

That's actually what is recommended - setting up an email account that you only use for business. Of course, it is also always interesting to see what a google of your name picks up - at least for those of us with relatively unique names.

indeed sister K

[Marina-Del 10]

I think I have a pretty unique name (or well, not really, but for America I do! ) and I still don't come up with anything when I google myself. I svck.

[bhajishah 4]

Tax payers need to have this done for government officials!! Having affairs in Argentina and the like .WOW