Much has been made in recent years of the so-called Facebook generation, which supposedly consists of 20-somethings who like to go online and spill their guts without regard for privacy. The reality is more complex.
Yes, social network users post a lot of personal information. But they’re sharing it within a circle of online “friends.” And they fiercely resist outsiders’ attempts to get a peek.
Last summer, city administrators in Bozeman, Mont., began requiring job applicants to provide usernames and passwords to their social networking accounts, as part of the background check. The new requirement caused such an uproar, the city manager held a press conference to apologize.
