Do Employers Check Social Media: Insights Into Social Media Background Screenings

Interviewing for a new job opportunity? You should be aware that some employers do check social media during the final background check phase of the recruitment process, or even earlier. This means that it’s important to understand how your social media could impact your chances of securing a new job.

Anything you have publicly posted, shared, liked, or any groups you are part of could be visible to future employers. With the line between digital and offline presence blurring, what you include on your social media profiles may be reviewed and assessed by hiring managers.

Therefore, understanding what employers check social media for, and what you can do to improve your online presence can help you navigate this phase of the recruitment process with ease.

What is a social media background screening?

In the recruitment and hiring process, a social media background screening refers to when employers review your public online activity to assess potential risks or red flags.

Employers may view any of your public profiles, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Instagram, and TikTok. They cannot access private accounts, but if a profile is public, they can see anything you have posted. In some cases, this information may influence their decision to extend or withdraw a job offer.

Typically, employers may review your public profiles going back several years, to identify any potentially high-risk content.

What do employers check social media for?

During social media background screening, hiring managers will review your online presence across social media platforms and, depending on your privacy settings, may be able to see:

• Posts
• Photos
• Likes/reactions
• Comments
• Group memberships

When do employers check social media during the recruitment process?

As there are no legal regulations surrounding social media checks, it can be informal, and businesses could conduct social media background screening at any point during the recruitment process. However, many organisations choose to complete these during the standard background and reference checks phase, which usually comes after interviews and sometimes following a conditional job offer.

However, most businesses should inform you if they are going to be undertaking a social media check; it should not be random, and you should receive some notice that it will happen.

Why do employers check social media during candidate screenings?

Employers check social media to identify any red flags that could create reputational risk for the business. This may include evidence of:

• Bullying or harassing behaviour
• Hate speech
• Illegal activity
• Explicit sexual content

There could be concern over you becoming a PR risk or even how you might treat your colleagues if there is evidence of hate speech or bullying online.

How common are social media background checks?

Social media background screenings are becoming increasingly common, but the likelihood of your profiles being checked during your recruitment process depends on both the individual employer and the role you are applying for.

Technically, employers can conduct social media screening checks for any role. However, due to compliance and legal risks of these checks, many businesses do so selectively.

If you are looking for work in legal, healthcare, finance, education, or within the public sector, you should be aware that employers in these sectors are increasingly incorporating social media screenings within their recruitment processes. Similarly, if you are applying for a senior-level role, especially if it is a director or C-suite position, employers are more likely to check your online presence.

If, within your role, you are likely to be communicating and working with vulnerable people or managing a large number of individuals, how you present yourself publicly online can be seen as equally important as your conduct in-person.

What are the legal restrictions on employers checking social media in the UK?

There are no specific laws that prohibit social media screening in the UK, but they must comply with data protection and anti-discrimination laws.

Employers must inform you that they will be reviewing your social media during background checks and tell you which platforms will be considered. Additionally, all candidates must be treated equally. If you believe that you have been singled out for a social media screening due to one of your protected characteristics while the other candidates have not, this could constitute discrimination.

Hiring managers also need to hold information about you compliantly according to UK GDPR requirements.

Can a UK employer demand social media login details?

No, UK employers cannot ask for social media login details. All data collected on your social media must be legally obtained, such as through searching for publicly available profiles. When employers check social media, they cannot access information through illegal means.

Can an employer withdraw an offer following a social media background screening?

In some circumstances, employers may withdraw your offer of employment based on what they see whilst screening your social media platforms.

This has to be based on relevance to the role and cannot be due to protected characteristics or “philosophical belief”. For example, you cannot have your job offer rescinded because you do not believe in evolution or belong to a political party.

It is important to note that this can be a legally grey area. If you are concerned about social media background checks, first approach the employers about the topic or consider contacting ACAS or Citizens Advice.

Best practices for job seekers managing their social media and wider online presence when job hunting

If you are seeking new job opportunities or planning to in the future, there are several things you can do to manage your online presence.

• Audit your online presence

Search your name on Google, and you will be able to see what hiring managers might find. If your presence is limited to just social media profiles, you may want to review public posts and likes to remove content that you would not like future employers to see. Even if this content would not necessarily cost you a job, there may be posts or photos you want to remain private.

• Make your social media profiles private

If you do not want your potential employers to check your social media, keep your online presence small or private. Employers will only check social media that is publicly accessible, so private profiles will not be included in screenings.

• Use it to your advantage

Think of the background check as an opportunity to showcase your professionalism and suitability for the role. If you have a LinkedIn profile, update it, and use it for professional posts and networking. This can make you look more attractive to employers.

Before employers check social media, how can job seekers clean up their profiles?

If you want to do a full clean-up of your  social media platforms, there are a few places you can start:

• Remove tagged photos
• Unlike old posts
• Leave groups
• Update bios

You should also make sure to check old usernames/ emails that might still be linked to you and visible to employers.

Should job seekers create a professional online presence?

A professional online presence can be very beneficial to your career. Start by setting up a LinkedIn profile to showcase your experience, skills, and accomplishments. Share relevant content about your professional life and engage with peers in your industry. This can help you build a personal brand that can be attractive to hiring managers.

Is it better to delete all social media during a job search?

No, there is no need to delete all your social media profiles, as long as you are being sensible with what you post and the content you engage with. Employers check social media in order to identify any red flags that could cause significant problems for their company. If you wish to remain publicly visible online, as long as you keep in mind that your content can be seen by employers, you should not experience any issues with your social media affecting your chances of securing a job.

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