A Few Thoughts on Cybervetting

So after reading about Lori Andrews' argument that we should adopt a Social Network Constitution to prevent employers from using information on social network cites as part of their hiring process, the major issue that comes to my mind is, "How's it gonna work?" Come on people, how often has regulating anything on the internet actually worked effectively? The very nature of the internet says that this is hard to accomplish because anyone can access any cite at any time. Of course I agree that it is morally wrong  to base the hiring process on what an employer can dig up about you on your Facebook page, but it is your own responsibility to limit the access of any questionable material you post about yourself, or not to post it at all.

In her book, I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy, she argues that this constitution should say, "Social networks are private spaces and that employers, schools and other institutions are prohibited from accessing social network pages or taking adverse actions against a person based on anything they post on a social network." No! Social networks are NOT private spaces and they never will be. You are posting content on the web for the explicit purpose that others can view your content. What is private about that? There is a much easier and simple way of protecting your privacy on your social networking cites if you are worried about being judged by employers - don't post stupid shit about yourself online! Maybe you shouldn't post that picture of you throwing up in the parking lot after a heavy night of drinking, or that video of you taking 12 shots in a row, or set your Facebook banner to that picture of you exhaling a cloud of smoke after that massive bong rip. And if you truly can't stop yourself from posting things like this to the public, at least have the sense to adjust your privacy settings so that you don't let random people (or perspective employers) see the questionable content you posted, its that simple. If you follow these simple rules, you should not have a problem. Your privacy is in your own hands, good luck!