Facebook and Employee Privacy
Germany plans to pass a law that prevents employers from using Facebook profiles in hiring employees. See the article in today's New York Times. The law would apply to all social networking sites, but it would not extend to professional networking sites like Linkedin. Germany wants to protect the privacy of it's citizens social activity. Professional activity, on the other hand, is fair game. This makes sense. A person's private social life, in most cases, should be kept separate from work.
The same German law also prohibits employers from secretly videotaping employees at work.
Germany is protecting its workforce from unreasonable privacy intrusions. America should do the same.
Why should we care what Germany does? One reason to care is that Germany is doing a better job managing its economy. It has put the recession behind it. See the article: Germany A Rare Model of Recovery in Global Recession.
Does anyone think there is a connection between treating people well and strong economic performance?
In America, by contrast, there are no limits on how an employer can use Facebook information. Countless people in America have been fired and not hired on account of their Facebook profiles. The American workforce, no doubt, also feels vulnerable and less protected. Is this good for our country?
Germany wants its workforce to feel comfortable but we don't care about that, we, as a country, are focused on chasing people through the caves of Afghanistan, tea parties and whether a mosque ought be near Ground Zero in New York City. We just don't get it.
