Europe says employers must warn job applicants before checking them out on Facebook
Facebook reaches 2 billion monthly usersEurope has a message for employers: Think twice before you check the social media profiles of job applicants. European officials have issued new guidelines that warn bosses about the legal hazards of scrolling through the social media profiles of potential hires. The rules require employers to issue a disclaimer before they check applicants' online accounts, including Facebook(FB, Tech30), Instagram, Snapchat(SNAP), Twitter(TWTR, Tech30) and LinkedIn. If applicants don't see the warning, the company could be in breach of European Union data protection rules. Employers are also barred from compiling social media data as part of the hiring process unless it is "necessary and relevant" for a particular job. The guidelines are part of a lengthy docum...