ASSESSING SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES BEFORE HIRING // YAY OR NAY?

It was two years ago, on Facebook I think, when a person's visa got denied because apparently they shared stuff on their pages that went contrary to what the country they hoped to gain entrance into preached.

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This person had come online to lament about their ordeal and how everything they had shared was all for fun and not like what they practiced in actuality. It was during that period that some persons also spoke of how they'd face similar issues. Around that time, individuals became wary of what they shared.

I found it amusing. Amusing that they could think of themselves as different from their posts. Especially those people who are bent on imposing their beliefs and ideologies on others. Like, I'd find it weird if a person who is a serial cyberbully, racist, who defames, is sexist, is racist, shares gross images of himself, is always thrash talking his ex-job and/or employers, claims he was all different in real life and does all of that just for fun.
I wonder how he wouldn't think that there are real people with emotions who have to bear the hurt of his words. I wonder if he doesn't consider that people are watching and paying attention to the little details.

Social media is a safe space for all. At least, that's what it should be. But people have taken advantage of the platform to exhibit varying behaviors. You go online to meet shocking attitudes.

On one hand though, I think of it as a lame idea to use a person's online profile to guage their eligibility for a role. Depending on a few factors, I don't see it necessary to check their Instagram and Facebook accounts. Would only make better sense if their LinkedIn profile was used instead.

Social media profiles might show inappropriate behavior sometimes, yet, you may agree that it may not usually relate to the job. A good profile doesn't necessarily translate that one is good fit for a role. Still somehow, an employee is an extension of his workplace. Things done or said online could impact, either negatively or positively, how that company is viewed.

A number of people have lost their jobs just by creating content which their companies found unethical. Some others gained employment/contracts by reason of what they put out.

Over and over, we have seen that when a person does something crazy online, it comes back at one point to the company they work for. It may be unrelated to their jobs yet somehow, it affects it.

During the presidential elections in Mt country, which held last year, a man was dragged and shamed online for failing to take a stand between the candidates, and use his platform(as an influencer) to campaign. I didn't see why he had to go through all that bullying because he chose to stay mute. Cause after all, he has the right to or not to. He later came on to inform the general public that it was against his company's law for him to share political issues. You see that, right?

To this prompt, I'd answer that the question is complicated. What you choose to do with your online space might be your business, still it could affect other areas of your life.

Thanks for gracing this post.
Greetings!

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