by Bruce Tyson

Created on: January 25, 2010   Last Updated: January 26, 2010

The idea of employers using the online presence of employees or potential employees doesn't seem appropriate. Still, this is the modern reality. Employers can access all kinds of information about a person without any permission. Credit reports and background checks are regularly used to determine the eligibility of a person to work for a company, so why not use Facebook and other online resources?

When employers snoop on you on Facebook, they get to find out all about you. They see who your friends are, what your attitudes toward employers and work are, what you think is or isn’t funny, and more. They might discover what your political and religious beliefs are and refuse to hire you because you are controversial. If you’re currently working for the employer, you might get fired for anything the boss doesn’t like, whether it’s your partying or your conversion to a new religion. Furthermore, if you ever say anything bad about your boss, you’re on your way out.


Employment is one aspect of life that has been negatively affected by the internet revolution because it has introduced widespread discrimination in the workforce that cannot be combated. In the past, hiring decisions were based on whether a person could do the work or not. Now, employers post jobs online that don’t even exist just so they can collect data. Others do it so they can weed out applicants who don’t have a cell phone, live in “bad” sections of town, live in apartments, or who meet a variety of other random criteria. Whatever the reason they choose not to interview you, they’ll never tell.


The widespread discrimination based on socioeconomic status has mushroomed in the labor market. Not only do employers discriminate based on where an applicant resides, they now obtain credit reports. If you’ve had financial problems, unpaid medical bills, or tax problems, many employers won’t hire you. When employers require background checks, they’ll deny you employment if you’ve made mistakes in the past that have nothing to do with your skills.


With all sorts of information on Facebook, the abuse of information has grown to be even more severe. Here are just a few examples of how Facebook discrimination can work against you:

1.    Age. From Facebook, employers can find out how old you are. An applicant who is too young might not be interviewed because of perceived immaturity. An older applicant will be denied

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