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Social networking websites such as Facebook allow employers to gain information about applicants which job seekers may not otherwise share during the hiring process. This multi-study investigation examined how job seekers react to this screening practice.

Study 1 (N = 175) employed a realistic selection scenario examining applicant reactions to prospective employers reviewing their social networking website. Study 2 (N = 208) employed a simulated selection scenario where participants rated their experience with a proposed selection process.

In Study 1, social networking website screening caused applicants to feel their privacy had been invaded, which ultimately resulted in lower organizational attraction. Applicants low in agreeableness had the most adverse reactions to …