A City In Montana Goes A Little LOT Too Far!
Filed under: Etc.
Big Brother much?
Apparently, Bozeman City, Montana, has begun requiring applicants to list and release their login information for "any and all, current personal or business websites, web pages or memberships on any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc."
We've heard of employers looking up potential employees on Facebook, but this seems a bit extreme!
NOT WORTH IT!
Posted: June 18, 2009 at 4:15 pm
WTF? Run don't walk from this place! IDIOTS
isnt that illegal?
what happened to out right of privacy??
WOW… YOWZERS!
What the hell!!!!!!!!!! I'd be like, ummm no, this is an invasion of privacy! Kiss my ass.
That's ridiculous. They always say to keep work and personal life SEPARATE. so then, what the hell is the point?
Wow - they will be asking for bank account information, soon.
Just one more reason not to be an exhibitionist and parade your personal information all over the internet. Privacy and modesty have become lost virtues.
This can't be for real.
1) It's just Bozeman. 2) I've applied for numerous jobs there and I have NEVER been asked to provide this information. Maybe they've already hacked in and that's why I haven't gotten a job there.
Yeah, I would think this would constitute an invasion of privacy. If they get away with asking for your login information for these websites, what's next? Your pin numbers and passwords for your bills/bank accounts? HELL no.
That's none of their business - PROTEST NOW!
the piss cup and the needle to draw blood were just ways to soften up the masses and make them not respect themself — and submit to this bs
fascism always wants to destroy freedom
privacy = freedom
Obama required all this from potential members of his administration — not just cabinet members but also staff. So what's good for the president should be good for the city of Bozeman.
New World Order!
Re: LeeCee – RIGHT — uh NO!
how about respecting privacy …. LeeCee … how about that ?
fuck them.. ILLEGAL.
invasion of privacy wow.
it's called a password for a reason. you need a pass to access the account, and its a word, one that you dont have a reason to tell anyone. thats how peoples emails and banks and such get hacked
I've lived in Bozeman (not Bozeman City) for 4 years and I was unemployed recently where I had to apply for tons of jobs. I never once had to supply any of that info. Perez, I love your site, but I don't know where you got this story!
I live in the boring state of, Montana. Let me tell you, Bozeman, which the locals compare to, Aspen, LOL; Aspen it is not. Anyway, Bozeman without living in Salt Lake City, is as Mormon as any city can be. This explains this outrageous requirement. Please, don't visit Bozeman, it only puts money into these bigots pocket's. Bozeman, also banned any physical touching while dancing during the high school prom! Assholes.
what a crock of shit…
What I believe you are telling us is that the town is requiring applicants FOR EMPLOYMENT to release this information. If that's correct, who cares? Employers look at this information anyway, they are just asking for it up front. It's like a crimal background credit, employment history or credit check (which many employers have been running for YEARS).
WTF?! Thats soooo stupid i would not give them any information!!
Re: khansen – I found the story, it looks like it applies only to applicants who want to work for the CITY of Bozeman. It's still not right, but its not every employer in town.
Re: Cancan409 –
That is a little different then this in my opionion.
Any who provides this information to them would have to be nuts. Stand up now people! Stop the invasion of your privacy. NO JOB IS worth that invasion. DO NOT GIVE IN TO THIS ASSININE REQUIREMENT.
If you do, what would/could be next?
I've had companies ask for my signature to run a credit report. I won't do that either. These were not jobs requiring handling of money. NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS what my credit is.
Speech isn't free, it comes with penalties; always has. Let's hear some REAL news.
I go to school in Bozeman MT i don't think this is true, i haven't heard of anything like this happening.
Holy crap! Totally not worth it. What an invasion of privacy!!!
Silly fools. What do you think the administration is trying to do with health care "reform". If they get it, they know all your medical info and decide's who get's care. Credit card reform? Again, they have all your information. Fricken Da!
Somebody's bottom NEEDS TO BE SPANKED —- HARD !!!!!!!!!! This is an invasion of privacy…………kinda like Bottom Spanking ! Tee hee !
THATS FUCKED!!!!!
THATS ILLEGAL!
Potential employers cant ask you questions like "are you married, what is your religion, do you have any kids" etc etc
Facebook/Myspace and all that has all that information in neat little boxes. Thats against federal law
I actually called the Bozeman City to ask if this was true - here is the deal. It is true only to the following - it is not "applicants" that are required to do this. It is for the person who has been offered a "conditional position of employment", after the interview process is complete. Conditional is based on their background check, which any responsible employer does for any position! It is not every single applicant for every position. They do it to be sure that the person they are hiring is suitable for the job of … Police Officer, Fire Fighters, Librarians & Lifeguards (working with kids)…etc. Please help get the word out that the article as it is written here is not correct. Bozeman City isn't trying to be in anyone's private business, but we do want them to be thorough do we not? I for one do!
Hopefully this will never last. It will end up biting them in the ass. Ridiculous!
TOTAL INVASION OF PRIVACY! I WOULD SO FILE A LAWSUIT!!!
how is this even legal? Is this for city employment?
It will last like a month and the courts will throw it out as soon as possible. This is a clear violation of our constitutional rights and won't last very long. So… RELAX! Lol.
So what's the point of having login information for these sites?
that sounds like an invasion of privacy. If these are city jobs, I doubt it is legal.
I have lived in Bozeman for the past 11 years and can say that I have NEVER been asked for login information for any of the sites listed above during my current job search.
And its just Bozeman, not Bozeman City. Get your facts straight!
Re: btrbear – obviously you did not call "Bozeman City" because this does not exist. It is the city of Bozeman. ONE WORD: Bozeman. maybe you meant that you inquired about city jobs in Bozeman. I'm guessing the information you've posted is referring to another city/town's rules regarding applicants for public jobs.
way too far, way way way too far
oh HELLZ no!!!!
Hell to the No.
how can this even be legal??? wow..
Well…*sigh* where to begin. First of all, Bozeman is a city, yes, but "Bozeman City" is incorrect. Perhaps "City of Bozeman" would be a much better use of term. Secondly, Montana is a very conservative state, and once you lived here you would realize why people from ALL walks of live migrate here to live. It is the land of the vast and beautifully majestic. Third of all, as a county employee I must state that along with any and all background checks, this has come under fire in a way that all employees must present themselves in a positive, respectful and professional manner. We simply, as public servants, must be considered above the cut so to speak. We undergo much more criticism as we are a direct reflection of our amazing State.
Dammmn is nothing sacred anymore.
OMG This is so wrong!
F-CK THAT!!!
I'd spit in their faces and walk out! That's Bull!!! Aren't people always preaching about your personal life should be separate from work life? How the f-ck can that happen when they have the passwords to all your sh-t?!?!?
That is outrageous and out of line, I hope no one ever applies for a job there.
uh.. the town is just called Bozeman btw..
Ok Perez, I absolutely LOVE reading your blog!! But I have lived in/near Bozeman, MT for the last 10 years and TRUST me, this is not a normal method of job application protocol. And Montanans aren't excited about it. I think it's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. But Bozeman isn't FULL of Mormons (as me in montana suggests). Certainly there ARE Mormons, but I think it's an insult to all who live in the area to batch us all under that title. Actually, don't let this story fool you! Bozeman is an amazing place to visit if not live! It's beautiful, quiet and amazing. This should not be what defines us. I can't speak for all Bozemanites (aka people who live in "Bozeangeles"), but we like our privacy!!
As everyone has already pointed out, I'll again say that it's just Bozeman. And I'm not sure where you get your information but I haven't had a single application for a job require or even ask for that matter to release login information for any websites. I think you should check your facts before you post these things. You're giving people/places bad names.
Wow! All i can say is wow! I actually live in Bozeman, MT and this is totally false. I just got a new job 2 days ago and didn't have to release any login information. Check your sources perez. this story is bunk. if some companies are requiring that, then that is on them but please don't smear Bozeman's good name because it is simply not true! I still love you, Perez!
omg i live like a couple hrs away from there and i had no idea… no wonder theres so many people from bozemen coming here… o and btw its not called bozeman city its just bozeman
its just bozeman. not bozeman city.
Is that legal? Someone will probably challenge this. MYOB.
It's Bozeman, not Bozeman City.
Re: RJP3 – WHAT privacy? You post it, it's not private.
The UniBomBer was holed up just out of town. I went to high school there B4 teevee.
It was a place to Be from.
oh shit..for real..then they will have to admit they read the same shit i do..
we are all goin to hell in handbasket!!
Insane. No job is worth this kind of invasion of privacy.
Being from Bozeman and having a boyfriend who works for the city, it's pretty simple… Just don't put it down if you don't want them to see it. They're really not going to google you. Anyway, as soon as the media caught word, they stopped asking for it. Now they might fire the HR Manager just to keep up appearances.