Teenager arrested for voicing opinion

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http://digitaljournal.com/article/321102

Over facebook, of all things. He is charged with a "racially aggravated public order offense". Unless soldiers are a race of their own, I fail to see how this is a justified charge, putting aside the whole "freedom of speech" thing people get so worked up about. It makes me wonder how much my government knows about all the anti-capitalist rhetoric that's on my facebook, and if I can get in trouble for it in the future, since apparently holding certain opinions is now a crime.

 

There is going to be a Supreme Court ruling over charges like this at some point this year. There are some companies that are requiring applicants to reveal their Facebook password as part of the application process. The SC has ruled that it is OK for job applicants to submit to a credit review to be considered for hiring, so apparently it's not out of the realm of possibility that this is deemed legal as well. It seems like a complete violation of privacy to me too, and it's one of many reasons I do not use Facebook.

 

His FB post wasn't even all that terribly 'offensive,' IMO. I was expecting something more along the lines of him laying amateur plans for terror.

(This seems to be a UK thing btw.)

 

Yes, it's definitely the UK. However, getting in trouble over FB is nothing new here either. In addition to hiring, there are some schools that require applicants to reveal FB passwords to receive athletic scholarships. I recall North Carolina was listed as an example. And while they say it isn't "mandatory", they make it clear that you can be denied the scholarship if you refuse.

 

Why don't they just demand access to all your emails ever sent as well?

I sure hope the SC buries that request. I also disagree with Credit Review as part of the hiring process. It's not the business of any entity outside of the US Government or any financial institution that I am requesting financing from on what my credit score is. I can spend my money in any manner I like, even wastefully if I so choose. It shouldn't be a metric used in a hiring process.

 

The point of the rant was it shouldn't be "by law" that they can get there grubby hands on my Credit Report in the 1st place... as long as I am hired to do a job, do it well, they should pay me what we agreed to pay me and stay out of my life, period. I can spend my wages on a home, a new car, a case of beer, on porn mags or women's nighties to wear in my free time*, giving large donations to churches, etc...it's none of their business.

* - Shut up wiseasses..... I was making a point here.

 

No hiring body can get it lawfully without a consent release though, Blades. It sounds like you're saying it should be against the law for employers to get credit reports, period ... is that on the basis of debt discrimination? (Sorry, just being cheeky.)

 

"Oh, say can you see...by the dawn's early light...."

 

What if you don't have a facebook account? I.e. you say so. (And in the reality, you have an anonymous one.)

 

@Aldeth - that's bizarre. They actually require passwords so they can log on under you identity and look around, as opposed to the usual friending/snooping route?

 

At everyone asking me questions about it: I'm just referring to a news article I saw a couple of weeks ago. Like I said, I don't even have a FB account, so it wouldn't affect me either way. On an recent job interview I went on, the company did require me to sign a release allowing them to get a credit report for me before I would be considered for the position. While I technically wasn't "required" to agree, they stated that they would not consider me for the position if I did not comply with the request.

 

It's a symptom of institutionalized racism, in the case of this guy. White people get away with saying a lot worse on FB, in comments sections, etc with no one batting an eyelash. Daily Mail's article on the issue has a section at the bottom saying they are unable to accept comments for legal reasons - maybe because they know they would be filled with racial abuse and islamophobia.

On the subject of FB privacy and employers - an employer should have no more right to inspect your social media profiles as they have to waltz into your home and snoop through your underwear drawer. Asking someone for their login for ANYTHING should be illegal. Full stop.

 

Facebook is by its nature somewhat public. I don't see people asking to see your e-mail account data (maybe I'm just missing it) but facebook is visible by a huge portion of the population. I see it as somewhat analogous to an employer using a Letter to the Editor written by a candidate in the hiring process.

But there's no need to get the facebook password. Friending the interviewer should be sufficient.

 

Facebook says it may sue employers who demand applicants' passwords"We’ll take action to protect the privacy and security of our users, whether by engaging policymakers or, where appropriate, by initiating legal action, including by shutting down applications that abuse their privileges."

Protecting their merchandise, they mean, but still

 

There are definitely some decent reasons for this. I can see how a company might not want to hire someone who owes a lot of money if the position could be used unethically for personal gains, i.e. insider trading and such.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a good reason, but it makes complete sense to me.