German Legislation Banned The Use Of Information From...

In August 2010, German legislation banned the use of information from social networking sites when used in the employment process, but permitted the use of publically available information on job networking sites, such as LinkedIn. In fact, the Interior Minister, Thomas de Maizià ©re, recognized that social media is a private right stating that private social networks are private and not to be used as gateways for gaining information on job applicants. Though it may be difficult to prove that a company obtained information about a prospective candidate through their social media account, a firm in violation of this new law can face fines of up to $381,000 US dollars. Germany is not the only country to side with the prospective†¦show more content†¦As a society and for our economy, it is best if we follow suit and also ban the screening of applicants Facebook profiles. III. LEGAL ISSUES: EXISTING LAWS WHICH DO NOT PROTECT PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES AGAINST EMPLOYERS SCREENING THEIR FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS This section discusses the existing laws and statutes and how they do not protect prospective employees against employers screening of their Facebook Accounts. The Federal Employment Acts reviewed includes Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). In addition, the First Amendment, the Fourth Amendment, the National Labor Relations Act, and the Fair Credit Reporting Act will also be reviewed. Lastly, the state Lifestyle Statutes that will be reviewed and discussed are Colorado, North Dakota, New York, Connecticut, and California. A. Federal Employment Acts The Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) , and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) are the Federal anti-discriminatory protections extended to job applicants. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for providing compliance guidance to employers. The EEOC