Take the city of Bozeman, Montana for example. They ask you to turn the keys to Facebook over by providing them with your username and password. And that’s just wrong. Not only does it specifically violate Facebook terms of use to give out your password, it’s nobody’s business but yours. If a job application asked you to give them the keys to your house and let them read your mail, would you consider that part of the territory?
Sometimes, you need to say “no”. For a while now, I’ve been challenging every request to provide my social security number to employers. Far too often, it’s simply a form field that can’t be justified to my satisfaction, and in a world where 26.5 million SSN’s can be compromised by one laptop theft, I need to know who has access to my personal information.
Don’t be afraid to tactfully challenge requests. If something doesn’t sit right with you or raises a red flag, let it be known. If an employer is adamant about getting your private information, consider whether you really want to work for them. Checking your public face is one thing; as one lawyer said, your online voice is akin to standing on a sidewalk waving a sign. However, with your password, one could do a great deal of damage to your reputation. If the world never had a disgruntled employee, we’d have a lot less problems. Imagine how much damage could be done to a reputation you spent years creating in a couple hours by somebody who had access to your Facebook and an axe to grind.
I would encourage you to do everything in your power not to surrender such information. If, however, you decide to do so, ensure that the password you release can only be used on the specific site you are releasing login info for. Make sure to check that site frequently for malicious changes, and change your password soon.
Online reputation management takes time – and your reputation is worth protecting. Be very careful who you grant access to.
