Will An Employer Check My Internet History

This is an anxiety-causing question these days, will an employer check my internet history?

You must have asked yourself this question, will an employer check my internet history? One of the questions that people often ask concerning background checks is whether an employer can check their browsing history. This question is particularly pertinent now, as the country is battling the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of which employers are extremely choosy about whom they hire, the economy has slowed down.

The short answer to the question is – no. A prospective employer cannot check your private internet history. They can, however, check your public internet history.

The Difference between Private and Public Internet History

Your public internet history, as the term indicates, is public. It contains all the information you publicly post online, which includes your posts on social media and the blogs and articles you have published. Unless you have set it to ‘private,’ your public internet history can be viewed by anyone – including your prospective employer.

Your private internet history, on the other hand, is private. This includes the information you post on your private accounts and the websites you browse on your personal computer. This is something a prospective employer cannot check.

Except for law enforcement agencies, no one else has the right, authority, or the means to check your private browsing history.

What Happens When You Use a Company Computer?

It should be noted that the rule applies only to personal computers. If you use a computer that your employer provides for official purposes, they have the right to check your browsing history.

Do You Know What a Social Media and Internet Check Will Reveal about You?

This is an important question, as most people have no idea what kind of information a prospective employer can find out by conducting a social media and internet check.

If you, for instance, have posted anything that a person from a protected class might find offensive, it can severely affect your chances of getting hired, especially if the position you are applying for requires you to communicate with people from all walks of life regularly.

While you might find it unfair that you could be punished for something you posted online a long time ago, it makes sense from an employer’s point of view, as they might view you as a risky candidate whose viewpoints might cause friction in the workplace and affect the cohesive nature of their workforce.

To ensure that your public internet history does not have any information that can affect your chances of getting hired, you can run a social media and internet check on yourself. By doing so, you can find out whether you have posted anything that might be considered offensive or discriminatory.

Choose a Reliable Background Check Company

Choosing a reliable company to run a social media and internet check on yourself is vital, as you need to be sure that the information you receive is accurate. So, look for an ICSA certified, FCRA compliant company that has a track record of delivering accurate information that you can act on.

Some other blogs you might like:

• Can employers ask how much I made at my last job?
• Difference Between Fingerprint And Name-Based Background Checks