Social media background checks now in the spotlight
37 percent of employers perform social media background checks on prospective employees and 84% now use social media as a recruitment tool. [caption id="attachment_4982" align="alignleft" width="300"] Source: Molly Bell, Flickr[/caption] Is it legal? Yes, social media background checks are legal. In 2011, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced they allow companies to compile seven years’ worth of publicly-available files and data from social networks and similar websites. However, you can only check for certain types of information, such as:
- Aggressive or violent acts
- Unlawful activities
- Racist statements and activities
- Sexually explicit content
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