12/5/25
Social Media Screening: By The Numbers 84% Employer Adoption Percentage of employers now using social media to screen candidates during the hiring process 51% Disqualification Rate Employers who found content that caused them NOT to hire a candidate Primary Screening Objectives • Professional Evaluation: Assess professionalism, communication skills, and social conduct across public platforms • Cultural Fit: Evaluate alignment with company culture, values, and workplace environment • Qualifications: Verify claimed skills, experience, and professional achievements
500% Decade Growth Increase in social media screening over the last ten years
Critical Consideration: Once problematic content is viewed, you can't "unsee" it . This creates potential liability if the information relates to protected characteristics.
Sources: CareerBuilder 2024 Survey; SHRM Talent Acquisition Research
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Social Media: Legal Exclusions
Social media screening exists in a complex legal landscape. While employers can review public profiles, certain information discovered through social media cannot legally form the basis for employment decisions due to federal and state protections.
Protected Characteristics Age, race, national origin, gender, religion, disability status, pregnancy, genetic information, sexual orientation and other protected classes under federal anti- discrimination laws
Family & Medical Status Marital status, family composition, medical conditions, or caregiver responsibilities that may be visible in social media posts
Protected Activities Union organizing, whistleblowing, filing workplace complaints, or other legally protected employee rights and activities
Professional social media screening services employ trained analysts who document only job-relevant information while systematically excluding protected characteristics, creating a defensible audit trail.
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