Discrimination (Jan 29, 2009)

(posted to Facebook, January 29, 2009)




Somehow, in Speech today, we got on the topic of how companies are using social networking sites to "dig up the dirt" on their prospective employees. There was a sudden outburst from the class, the overall opinion of which was that it's an invasion of privacy.

Well, not really, maybe if they're going to hack your site, but no site should ever be public. If your site is public, you have irresponsible things posted on that site, and you're not smart enough to take those items down when applying for a job, that's your own dumb fault.

One of the most interesting reactions, however, was the claim that "it's discrimination!" What? Research on prospective employees is discrimination? With the complete ineffectiveness of references and the nearly complete ineffectiveness of interviews, companies need someway to find out who they're thinking of hiring.

To reiterate, it's your own dumb fault if you have irresponsible things posted publicly on your social sites.

"That's discrimination!"

What, we can't discriminate against stupid anymore?

You think I'm kidding.



((Now, mind you, if, perchance a prospective employer were to find a public social-blog site of someone like me and decided not to hire them based on the anti-government entries that such a person happened to write, that would be absolutely terrible))

But, having strongly-minded opinions is not the same as being stupid. Although some might not see the difference. :(







We can't discriminate against stupid anymore?