Are drunk Facebook photos killing your job prospects?
February 06, 2009 (ZDnet)
A survey, commissioned by people search Web site yasni.co.uk, polled more than 950 HR people and business managers in the United Kingdom. The results showed that 32 percent of the respondents search the Internet and check social networking Web sites in order to gather background and behavior information on potential recruits and existing employees.
Moreover, 24 percent said that their opinion of a potential new hire was adversely affected by what they found; drunken photos and rude comments were cited as the biggest turn-offs.
Use of Facebook and other social networks as an informal resource on job candidates looks set to continue. Of the 68 percent of business people who had not searched for data on would-be staff online, 44 percent said they are likely to do so in future.
This survey highlights a critical problem with the accessibility and availability of personal information online. There is a fundamental issue with controlling one’s personal information online and having the ability to decide who can have access to what specific pieces of your personal information.
YOUnite's patented technology offers a unique solution to ever increasing problem of data security and specifically the access to personal information through the notion of "distributed sharing of personal identity attributes". By applying YOUnite's patented technology to the social network scenario, a user would be able to decide what pieces of information would be accessible by which individuals: selectively share their personal information on an individual basis with complete granularity.
In this particular example, the user could allow access to those less than flattering photos from the New Year’s Eve party to a very limited selection of friends, while allowing others to have access to only the photos that you deem more appropriate. With YOUnite’s patented technology, the user now has complete control of all aspects of their personal information -- from contact details to photos; from personal preferences to credit card/Social Security numbers. YOUnite’s technology allows YOU to decide who can have access to what!
For more information, please visit our website and while you're there, read through our Resources Section for specific Use Cases and White Papers.