Integration of Social Media, Ethics, and Privacy Policies In the Emplo

Introduction The year is 2013, so there is no surprise that the general public use technology for the majority of our daily lives. We use it for entertainment, business, and day-to-day communication. We also use it to keep in touch with family, friends and old acquaintances. Technology has especially been beneficial for the workplace. Telecommuting and teleconferences are just a couple of alternatives to old fashioned face-to-face business. This, and the rise of various social media sites throughout the past decade has shaped the modern business world. Through these sites, people can share interests, opinions, life events, and random day-to-day activities immediately. With the social media movement growing rapidly every day, the amount of information flowing through cyber space has become harder to contain and protect. To many, privacy is now considered a lost concept. Social media has also become an important tool to use in business and hiring processes. In the minds of human resource departments everywhere, social media sites can be considered a helpful one-stop shop for determining whether or not a candidate is ideal for employment. Sites such as Facebook, for example, can provide employers with insight into a potential employee’s pastimes with a few clicks. A few searches can shed light on violent tendencies, or one’s history with past bosses, supervisors and others in higher positions. Discovering information like these can affect a candidate’s persona and the employer’s initial hiring decisions. White 2 There are many impending questions regarding using social media as a selection tool. First, is it ethical? Does the employee have a right to know if their online profiles are being searched? Are they required to give their ... ..." Labor Law Journal (n.d.): 86-102. Business Source Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. Genova, Gina L. "No Place to Play: Current Employee Privacy Rights In Social Networking Sites." Business Communication Quarterly (2009): 97-101. Business Source Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. McGarvey Hidy, Kathleen, and Mary Sheila E. McDonald. "Risky Business: The Legal Implications of Social Media's Increasing Role In Employment Decisions." Journal of Legal Studies in Business 18 (2013): 69-107. Business Source Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. Mello, Jeffrey A. "Social Media, Employee Privacy and Concerted Activity: Brave New World of Big Brother?" Labor Law Journal (2012): 165-73. Business Source Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. Rao, Pramila. "Are Social Networking Sites Good Recruitment Sources?" Clashing Views in Human Resource Management. New York City: McGraw-Hill, 2011. N. pag. Print.