Employer asking for social media log in details!

billybob123 · 16-04-2014 2:12pm #1

My employer has requested I provide my LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter passwords to them. Or any social media site used to "promote" the business.

Am I correct in understanding my LinkedIn account is mine alone. It states where I work etc

Why would they be asking for this?

Do I have to turn over all of my passwords?

What are the legal implications of this?

Paulw · 16-04-2014 2:20pm

They can ask for anything they like, but you have no obligation to provide them.

I would definitely never give my passwords to my employer.

They want this to judge your character, and see what you are like out of hours.

kilp10 · 16-04-2014 2:21pm

Not sure how any employer thinks they can get away with this one nowadays! I'm not from a legal background but I'd imagine the answer is a straight no, you are not obliged and would be foolish to do so. I certainly would not under any circumstances supply my manager with private passwords to anything that is personal!

Only reason I can think of as to why they're chancing their arm asking for it is, do you have friends from work on your social media and do you mention your company in any way, positive or negative on your feeds that could have gone back?

Think of a reasonably diplomatic answer to say no, and don't give them over, they're not entitled to them.

zarquon · 16-04-2014 2:22pm

There is no legal requirement for you to do so, so you can politely decline. If this affects your working conditions you can take action against your employers

Kimbot · 16-04-2014 2:23pm

Im sure the social media's website will have something in their signup T&C's that would state that you are the sole user of the account etc etc.

tricky D · 16-04-2014 2:29pm

There are 3 reasons why this is a Bad Idea(tm)

FB's own T&Cs do not allow employers to access accounts

From https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms

3 Safety

5 You will not solicit login information or access an account belonging to someone else.

4 Registration and Account Security

8 You will not share your password (or in the case of developers, your secret key), let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account.

The 2 above simply mean an employer can not ask you for account access.

5 Protecting Other People's Rights

7 If you collect information from users, you will: obtain their consent, make it clear you (and not Facebook) are the one collecting their information, and post a privacy policy explaining what information you collect and how you will use it.

This suggests that if an employer does look at your profile, they should seek consent, and provide a privacy and usage policy for that purpose.

There are also the other 2 principles: basic password security ie. keeping control of it and the associated account; and the second being a matter of trust in your employer/employee relationship.

Grolschevik · 16-04-2014 2:30pm

I've never heard of this actually happening in Ireland, but there was an article on it in the Law Society Gazette last year:

http://www.lawsociety.ie/Documents/Gazette/Gazette%202013/November-2013.pdf

Page 18 of that pdf. Not sure how definitive this is, but the authors conclude with this:

"To conclude, there are significant legal obstacles to an employer obtaining a
social media password, and the law would seem to prevent an employer from forcing an employee to hand over their private password.

It could perhaps be seen as victimisation of an employee, under some of the employment law statutes, if the employer penalises an employee for refusing to reveal their password.

The privacy of the employee must be respected, so it is not clear under the present law that there is any legal basis for an employer to request their employees’ private passwords."

16-04-2014 2:36pm

billybob123 wrote: »

My employer has requested I provide my LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter passwords to them. Or any social media site used to "promote" the business.

Am I correct in understanding my LinkedIn account is mine alone. It states where I work etc

Why would they be asking for this?

I'm guessing they probably want to post business-promoting stuff to your accounts e.g. "See our new product at..." posted to your Facebook wall.

billybob123 wrote: »

Do I have to turn over all of my passwords?

No. I would tell them that your accounts are personal, and that if they want to promote their business, they should do so through a business account at each of the social media sites

Sadderday · 16-04-2014 2:44pm

absolutely not, I wouldn't provide these passwords. It is giving access to your employer and anyone else that comes across your info written on a piece of paper floating around the office.

Anyone who has these passwords can use your identity and read your personal messages etc.

You would be crazy to hand these over, its even crazy for them to ask.

If you don't want to say No... delete these accounts for a while until this blows over... I'm sure its hard to say no to an employer.

If they wanted you to promote the business via social media they could ask you to do so without this information.

Its not required to benefit to the business.

Five Lamps · 16-04-2014 4:36pm

billybob123 wrote: »

My employer has requested I provide my LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter passwords to them. Or any social media site used to "promote" the business.

Am I correct in understanding my LinkedIn account is mine alone. It states where I work etc

Why would they be asking for this?

Do I have to turn over all of my passwords?

What are the legal implications of this?

Can you confirm if your employer is asking for your own personal accounts or the credentials for company accounts. In many companies, employees take the initiative in setting up social media accounts and effectively control them. It would be good practice for the employer to have the creds for these accounts.

If you are using your own account to promote the company you might be better off to set up official company accounts.

the_syco · 16-04-2014 4:40pm

billybob123 wrote: »

Or any social media site used to "promote" the business.

Is it your personal account, or an account that you set up for the business, that they want access to?

Pocoyo · 16-04-2014 4:42pm

Crazy i cant believe an employer would ask for passwords,Record his request and see your solicitor.

zl1whqvjs75cdy · 16-04-2014 4:44pm

If its your personal account tell them to do one. Absolutely none of their business. If they are concerned that employees may be bringing the company into disrepute on facebook simply remove where you work from your profile. That was requested in my gfs workplace after one of the other staff appeared topless in a facebook photo. (female)

techdiver · 16-04-2014 4:52pm

They sound like the most unprofessional, misguided and information security unconscious employer I've ever heard of!

Most companies go to a great deal to keep even passwords for internal system completely secure and belonging to the employee only. It would present a massive security vulnerability for more than one person to process a single password and could lead to a serious breach and in some countries would break information security compliance laws.

In short, never, ever disclose your passwords to anyone, not even your employer and not even for internal systems, unless you change it immediately before and afterwards.

Please note, that if your company is, for example based out of the US they can potentially breach US federal law even whilst operating in Ireland.

mikom · 16-04-2014 4:58pm

OP, watch out you don't get fraped by you prospective employer.

ZENER · 16-04-2014 6:07pm

I know of 2 very large companies operating in Ireland who demand to see social media pages such as Facebook before considering an applicant for a position. If you refuse then tough luck, your CV is thrown away. I've spoken to at least 2 people where this has happened. A drop in the ocean perhaps, but a development to worry about none the less.

How badly do you want the job ? What price your privacy ?

Ken

AnonoBoy · 16-04-2014 6:13pm

ZENER wrote: »

I know of 2 very large companies operating in Ireland who demand to see social media pages such as Facebook before considering an applicant for a position. If you refuse then tough luck, your CV is thrown away. I've spoken to at least 2 people where this has happened. A drop in the ocean perhaps, but a development to worry about none the less.

Wanting to see somebody's social media page and demanding passwords are different things.

Allowing someone to see your Facebook page supervised once is not the same as allowing them to log into your account whenever they want.

Marcusm · 16-04-2014 6:46pm

ZENER wrote: »

I know of 2 very large companies operating in Ireland who demand to see social media pages such as Facebook before considering an applicant for a position. If you refuse then tough luck, your CV is thrown away. I've spoken to at least 2 people where this has happened. A drop in the ocean perhaps, but a development to worry about none the less.

How badly do you want the job ? What price your privacy ?

Ken

But that's not the same as seeking a password; there might be some justification in an employer wishing to connect on LinkedIn or be friended on Facebook or to follow on Twitter with a view to understanding how someone presents themselves and whether they might pose reputational risks. i would have thought that the categories of employees who should be subject to this would be very limited but am hardly surprised that, especially in graduate type jobs, this proliferates due to nosey parkers.

Pat Mustard · 16-04-2014 6:57pm

ZENER wrote: »

How badly do you want the job ? What price your privacy ?

Ken

I take it that they only hire people with facebook accounts then?

Might be worth considering a sanitised decoy facebook page for creeps to stalk.

When people ask me if I'm on facebook, I tell them that I'm not. No good can come of it.

zetalambda · 16-04-2014 7:19pm

Who do you work for, Hitler?

If an employer asked for my social network passwords, I'd rudely decline, hand in my notice and take my chances.

billybob123 · 17-04-2014 9:37am

I have worked here for over 1 year. I do promote the business somewhat through my LinkedIn, however it is not a premium account so they have not paid for it and i had it 4 years before i start here.

They say it is regarding an ISO compliance thing to do with data protection.

zl1whqvjs75cdy · 17-04-2014 9:38am

Well thats a heap of ****e. If anything what they are asking is a breach of data protection legislation. They are chancing their arm. Tell them to **** off.

coffee_cake · 17-04-2014 9:39am

If they know anything about data protection they know not to ask for passwords

whomitconcerns · 17-04-2014 9:39am

billybob123 wrote: »

I have worked here for over 1 year. I do promote the business somewhat through my LinkedIn, however it is not a premium account so they have not paid for it and i had it 4 years before i start here.

They say it is regarding an ISO compliance thing to do with data protection.

ISO compliance....hahahahahahahaha what chancers!!!!!!! Thats a no!

17-04-2014 9:42am

billybob123 wrote: »

I have worked here for over 1 year. I do promote the business somewhat through my LinkedIn, however it is not a premium account so they have not paid for it and i had it 4 years before i start here.

Remove all business promotion items from your LinkedIn, and tell them it's purely a personal account now, and as such, they have no requirement for access to it

KTRIC · 17-04-2014 10:22am

I've been talking to a certain social media company recently about work and I've noticed that my account was actually accessed, as in logged into in the location of their HO in the US a couple of times. :rolleyes:

In this case theres not much I can do about it but in the case of the OP I'd tell them to take a flying jump.

Francie Barrett · 17-04-2014 10:26am

Just close your accounts.

Fred Swanson · 17-04-2014 10:32am

This post has been deleted.

coffee_cake · 17-04-2014 10:34am

KTRIC wrote: »

I've been talking to a certain social media company recently about work and I've noticed that my account was actually accessed, as in logged into in the location of their HO in the US a couple of times. :rolleyes:

In this case theres not much I can do about it but in the case of the OP I'd tell them to take a flying jump.

How did they do that?

Change your password quick

KTRIC · 17-04-2014 10:44am

bluewolf wrote: »

How did they do that? Change your password quick

Let's just say it's their site so I presume they can login to whomevers account they wish.

whomitconcerns · 17-04-2014 10:46am

KTRIC wrote: »

Let's just say it's their site so I presume they can login to whomevers account they wish.

pretty certain that would breach ALL of their own privacy procedures..if you dont get the job I would definitely be showing them the proof!

Employer asking for social media log in details!

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