Cyber Vetting in Organizations: Advantages, Limitations and Consequences

This case analysis discusses the implications of cyber vetting in organizations, including its advantages, limitations, and consequences. It also explores different scenarios and their advantages and disadvantages. The study concludes that the decision to use cyber vetting should be made based on the company's requirements and expectations.

Running head: Case analysis on Cyber vetting in an organizationCase analysis on Cyber
vetting in an organization
Case analysis on Cyber vetting in an organization
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Table of Content

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Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Discussion..................................................................................................................................2
Cyber-vetting as a selection method......................................................................................2
Advantages.........................................................................................................................2
Limitations.........................................................................................................................3
Consequences.....................................................................................................................3
Advantages and disadvantages to different scenarios............................................................4
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
Cyber-vetting is the investigative process by potential employers to search people’s
online status or “internet reputation” (Bohnert and Ross, 2017) on social media platforms
such as MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bebo. During evaluation, the respective
candidate’s posts, profiles and photographs are scrutinized to link a connection to his/her
approval or disapproval. The following process has been observed to be conducted on new
employees/applicants in the organization named Red. Thus, the following paper aims to
provide deep insights on the predicted implications, advantages and disadvantages (to three
scenarios) and also, the conclusion of initiating such technique in the selection process.
Discussion
Cyber-vetting as a selection method
In any organizational environment, “Background check” over social media on
potential employees signals the red or green flag to the employee’s approval or disapproval
and, has become an increasingly popular method of identifying verification checks
(Ghoshray, 2016). The subject of cyber-vetting is debatable, thus, appropriate clarification to
Red’s is required to be evaluated. The benefits, drawbacks and limitations must be known to
measure both the authenticity and legitimacy of the respective process.
Advantages: Firstly, the company learns more about the identity and character features of a
candidate, since people share posts on social media platforms while being themselves and
letting their guard down completely (Berkelaar and Buzzanell, 2016). This information is
occasionally essential in the interview process, however, can help in empowerment of
understanding the employee in a personal level.

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Secondly, the candidate’s racist, sexist, behavioural and other characteristics can be
determined, which may reveal the legitimacy of applying major red flags. This is not
processed in other types of employment verification methods. Someone who shares
obnoxious remarks on a company (online) would not be considered to be a good ambassador
of any respective brand (Brown & Vaughn, 2015).
Limitations: Firstly, the appointed employer might waste a significant amount of time during
the cyber-vetting. This can happen if no prior connection is obtained with respect to
background check of the employee, thus it would be hectic to find that candidate. Also,
advance privacy settings make the visibility of the profile page to be a difficult or impossible
task.
Secondly, manipulation of applicant’s sensitive private information may support the
discrimination (age, sexual orientation, race, religion) and biasing, thus making it, a shaky
legal ground to the potentiality of the respective company.
Consequences: A significant implication of cyber-vetting’s usage can be observed in
inaccurate information based decision making, which inappropriately predicts the active job
performance (Berkelaar, 2016). Also, Mikkelson (2015) questions the validity and legality of
such hiring decisions, under the law, as pre-defined guidelines by EEOC (Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, 1979) state that the procedures of selection should be job-based,
than personal-based. However, reports by Appel (2014) suggest 38% of hiring employers
have judged and not offered jobs to candidates due to incorrect information analysis over
social networking sites (SNS). Thus, acting solely on SNS for verification and validation
without personal checks can lead to elimination of potential candidates, without proper
justification.

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Another consequence is relatable to the hiring process’s illegal discrimination on the
applicants (Kalet, 2014; Grossman, 2013; Jones, 2014; McMahon et al., 2016). EEOC states
the employment and hiring discrimination should include protection of specific
characteristics, such as religion, race, sex, disability status, age, national origin and pregnancy
(Berkelaar, 2014). Prohibition of such acts are supported by information collection from
SNS. Thus, the organizations may face difficulties for making decisions from these qualities.
Also, loss of privacy is another factor, which increases the level of negative impact.
Advantages and disadvantages to different scenarios
 For the process involving applicants to be informed of the cyber-vetting activity that
is to be initiated on them during the selection process, there can be several obligations
and judgemental opinions.
o Advantages: Due to clarification from the officials, the employees would be
able to understand the motive of the employers and thus, could react
accordingly. The applicants would not be able to blame the official community
with the online-monitoring act, and thus clarification maintains the protection
of the company from any illegality. Moreover, the transparency of the
company makes the applicant understand the assessment and judgement
standards.
o Disadvantage: However, the process of cyber-vetting involves indirect
monitoring of the involved individual, the degradation of his privacy (under
supervision) is understood by the respective employee, as well. This will have
psychological influence on the employee to become cautious of him/her, being
monitored over social media platforms.

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 During the process of conduction of the cyber-vetting process without any
information being informed to the applicants, a lot of consequences and problems will
follow.
o Advantages: The hidden ‘social media’ monitoring of the employees would
create a suitable scenario for the company officials to see the behaviour and
social status of the candidates, without their conscience of being supervised.
o Disadvantages: Loss of privacy and unawareness of being indirectly
monitored. It is moreover, an unfair and, highly unethical procedure to follow.
Employee may lose his trust and commitment from the respective company,
and further, might quit from the given designation.
 The usage of traditional methods of employee selection, instead of online-vetting has
an overall result which is absolutely different from the previously mentioned ones.
o Advantages: Traditional methods of interviewing and selecting
candidates/employees are the most easy to follow. All the recorded data are
calculated in a specific event. This enhances the understanding and motivation
levels of the employee, and further the designation is rated in accordance to
the interview response and evaluation of the candidate. It does not follow any
judgemental or estimated point-of-view from the employer. The employee is
moreover, self-dependent.
o Disadvantages: Hidden information of the candidate’s social records are not
evaluated. The employee may have some underlying discriminative acts over
social media platform that could have affected his job approval.
Conclusion
The emergence of social media has undoubtedly increased the popularity of
cybervetting. The process may be rapid and efficient way for collection candidate’s

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information, while uncovering potential threats and risks from hiring the respective
candidate, however potential implications can also affect the lives of the applicants to create
and maintain their identities in the online world. The same also affects the company’s
reputation, legitimacy and other factors. Moreover, it can be concluded that the decision of
choosing any methods (among the three) should be decided, with respect to the company’s
requirement and expectations. The study has overall discussed the authenticity of
cybervetting, to be initiated at Red’s. All the aspects to cybervetting and interviewing should
be kept in consideration, prior to any further action.

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References
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Appel, E. J. (2014). Cybervetting: Internet searches for vetting, investigations, and open-
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Berkelaar, B. L. (2014). Cybervetting, online information, and personnel selection: New
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Communication Quarterly, 28(4), 479-506.
Berkelaar, B. L. (2016). Cyber-vetting: Exploring the implications of online information for
career capital and human capital decisions (Doctoral dissertation, Purdue
University).
Berkelaar, B. L., & Buzzanell, P. M. (2016). Cybervetting, person–environment fit, and
personnel selection: Employers' surveillance and sensemaking of job applicants'
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Bohnert, D., & Ross, W. H. (2017). The influence of social networking web sites on the
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Brown, V. R., & Vaughn, E. D. (2015). The writing on the (Facebook) wall: The use of social
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Ghoshray, S. (2016). Emerging reality of social media: Erosion of individual privacy
Through cyber-vetting and law's inability to catch up. J. Marshall Rev. Intell. Prop.
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8ReferencesReferences
Grossman, P. (2013). Employment Discrimination Law.
Jones, J. E., Murphy, W. P., & Belton, R. (2014). Discrimination in employment (pp. 587-
683). West.
Kalet, J. E. (2014). Age discrimination in employment law (p. 1). Bureau of National Affairs.
McMahon, B. T., Hurley, J. E., West, S. L., Chan, F., Roessler, R., & Rumrill, P. D. (2016).
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Occupational Rehabilitation, 18(2), 106-111.
Mikkelson, K. (2015). Cybervetting and monitoring employees' online activities: Assessing
the legal risks for employers. Pub. Law., 18, 3.