Fama is a consumer reporting agency that provides social media background checks to employers. They are often integrated into other pre-employment background check solutions. In 2023 Fama purchased Social Intelligence, the social media background check company.
More and more employers are looking at job seeker’s social media profiles before hiring them. Fama social media checks are integrated with many background check services. So, when you get a background check that includes a social media check, the background check company could be working with a service like Fama to conduct the social media search.
Here are some of the background check companies that integrate with Fama:
What Does a Fama Social Media Background Check Look For?
Social media background checks look at your online presence to see if you will be a good fit for the position you are applying for. Here are some things social media checks often look for:
- Professional History: Verifying information on professional sites like LinkedIn, including employment history, education, and professional accomplishments.
- Behavior and Conduct: Looking for behaviors or actions that might reflect poorly on the candidate or the company, such as inappropriate comments, aggressive or violent behavior, or illegal activities.
- Public Posts and Comments: Review publicly available posts, comments, and interactions on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This can include scrutinizing opinions, language used, and the nature of content shared or endorsed.
- Cultural Fit: Assessing whether a candidate’s personal views, interests, and activities align with the company’s culture. This could involve looking at non-professional involvement or hobbies.
- Character References: Occasionally, comments or posts by others about the candidate or even direct references or testimonials on social media profiles are reviewed.
- Red Flags: Identify potential red flags, such as discriminatory remarks, references to drug use, and other risky behaviors that could pose a liability to the employer.
- Image and Representation: Analyzing the candidate’s overall image online might include scrutinizing photographs, videos, and the general tone of their social media presence
Employers are increasingly turning to automated technology and AI for the hiring process. These checks can offer insights into a candidate’s public persona. However, they can also raise concerns about privacy, accuracy, and fairness—issues our law firm takes very seriously.
The Risks of Automated Social Media Background Checks
Automated social media background checks like those performed by Fama involve algorithms that scour social media profiles and other online activities. These technologies are not foolproof. They can misinterpret context, fail to distinguish between types of online activity, and even misidentify individuals. These errors can lead to unfair and unjust hiring practices. The impact on job seekers is troubling, as their online presence may be judged out of context.
The use of automated tools like Fama’s for employment screening must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA is designed to ensure the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of the information in background checks, and credit reports. Here are some of your rights:
- Employers must obtain consent before conducting a background check. This includes social media background checks.
- Employers must provide adverse action notices if the information obtained affects employment decisions.
- If information is used against you, you must be given the contact information of the company that provided the report.
- You have the right to a free copy of the report that has been used against you.
- You have the right to dispute any errors contained in the report.
Under the FCRA, you have the right to dispute any inaccurate information in a Fama background check. Once you file a dispute, Fama will have 30 days to investigate. They will have to notify you of their findings and correct any errors in the report. Fama has an online form for candidates to dispute at https://fama.io/candidates
Job seekers must be aware of their rights and the potential pitfalls of automated social media background checks. If you believe that an automated social media background check has unfairly affected your job prospects, our consumer protection attorneys are here to help.
If you lost a job due to errors on a Fama social media background check, you may have a case and be able to sue for damages in federal court. If you feel your rights under the FCRA have been violated by Fama or any of the background check companies that their service integrates with, get a FREE CASE REVIEW now.
The free case review is a no-obligation, free case evaluation, there is no out of pocket cost to you and if you do have a case, we don’t get paid unless you win. You can also call us at 1-877-735-8600 to get started now.
