Today I read a couple interesting articles but one that got me was in the Boston Globe where a candidate was asked about her personal profile in My Space during an interview  (the Boston Globe)

They didn't like her answer regarding her profile and they did not hire her..

This got me to thinking - in an interview we would not consider asking a candidate about their personal social activities, groups, associations, religious beliefs or groups they are involved in?

Is not asking a candidate about their my space profile in an interview not the same issue? Is it not getting into their personal life?

The article mentions the following - "Employees, meanwhile, have their own set of concerns. Some wonder whether employers are using MySpace profiles to violate the privacy of employees or applicants and obtain personal information to which they are not entitled. Warren Agin, a Boston attorney who specializes in Internet law, says employers would run afoul of anti discrimination laws if they use a MySpace page to learn, say, that a job applicant is gay, and decide not hire him or her on that basis. "

I wonder what would happen if the tables were turned and some of the candidates were to google Recruiters, HR or Hiring Managers before an interview and see some of the comments that were written online.. Would it be improper for them to ask them about this in the interview?
If so why? would they not be working for this person? shouldn't they know if the person is a member of the KKK, are swingers, are members of the PETA society, had been indicted for a crime?

It isn't fair game, if the employee were to invade an employers privacy, it would not behoove them to discuss it in an interview, yet some employers would think nothing of discussing their profiles.

Today the lines have been blurred regarding what is appropriate regarding an employee's private life. What does it matter what the individual does in the Privacy of their time off? who they associate with after hours?

But, mostly, when is the information that what one see's subjective or objective. What you believe to be as true and right may be different from someone else's values.

There would be the argument well they may not fit into our corporate environment - well really? look around you in your office, how many people have a life that You know nothing about? How would you know if the individual next to you is a member of a Wicca society and is a Warlock in their personal life? did you ask them? why not?

Would you change your view of them if you find out, even though you enjoy going to lunch together?

What about the best employee at work, if you found out that every evening after he left work, he enjoys going out in womens' clothes.. would he stop being the best employee? Does his personal life really play into the work environment?

When is too much information too much information?

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 ABOUT KAREN MATTONEN, CAC, CSP

Karen is an experienced, successful recruiter who operates her own business and is actively involved in many industry organizations and activities. Her recruiting career began with Snelling Corporation. In 1998, after a successful tenure as a recruiter with Snelling, Karen struck out on her own, founding Advanced Career Solutions (ACS). ACS focuses on recruiting for the HVAC Industry. Karen has achieved accreditation as a California Accredited Consultant (CAC) through California Staffing Professionals. She has also gained her Certified Staffing Professional Certificate (CSP) through American Staffing Professionals. (http://www.americanstaffing.net/)

She has a new and future-oriented vision of what recruiting can and should become: a profession we can be proud of for its ethical standing, professional conduct and ability to build great organizations. Her doing-well-by-doing-right philosophy is shaking up the status quo in an industry that needs to be shaken. She does this with conviction, leadership, and a distinctive voice that cries out for change.

Karen was a co-creator of the landmark webinar event – "EEOC Discrimination Debate." This event featured senior members of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and staffing industry experts discussing and debating difficult issues about discrimination in today’s workplace environment. Company executives, hiring managers, recruiters, and human resource professionals from across the United States were invited to participate in the free Webinar and live panel discussion. Karen also served as one of the panelists on the discussion team in the March, 2006 event. 

As co-host of the popular podcast "The Recruiters Lounge ,"Karen discusses her frank opinions on the recruitment industry with her co-host, Jim Stroud.