Dbq Social Media

In a society where social media has become a dominant means of communication, many companies see an advantage to scrutinizing their applicants in their natural and social context in hopes to gain a greater insight on the person’s personality beyond what’s on their application. One can assume that it is a normal curiosity for an employer to judge their employee on their up-to-date and relevant online presence to better understand who they are as people. In fact, some argue that by looking into one’s interests and hobbies an effort to get to know one another is being made. However, these assumptions fall short because social media is a dishonest and untelling platform where identities can be faked and concealed. Source G claims that “a job applicant’s

As Source E says, “if you were to walk into my office, I’d have a pretty decent sense of your gender, your age, your race, and other identity markers… information that I could use to discriminate against you if I felt like it.” Source F reveals a conundrum that needs settling. If people (employers) are too dependent and take into account one’s visual semblance, than how will our merit, personality and ability be considered. To solve the social media problem, there must be a call for valuing merit over appearance. Social media, as Source G says, is the same as appearing well-dressed for an interview. It is dishonest for companies to judge their applicants on their social presence because it is a shallow and superficial standard. Source H returns to the “ethical dilemma” of social media profile searches, claiming that “information found on the internet may lead to discrimination, whether done on a conscious or unconscious level.” We should not allow potential “unconscious” discrimination to take place from the start. To refrain from unconscious discrimination, employers need to shape and change what they are looking for in an employee. If an employed looks at an applicant's popularity on social media, then a superficial and shallow picture is taken into account. Institutions should avoid judging their applicants by their

As such, one can say that having a social media account in almost a standard social norm, as it is used relentlessly among friends and even in academic settings. So, having an online presence is a way of complying with a superficial standard merely because it is a trend and is widely used. Rather than succumbing to discriminatory judgement on an applicant’s social media page that is superficial in itself, colleges or institutions alike should place value on the applicants that have not fallen victim of a social trend. The students which actively choose not to share their activity on an online account should be credited and even placed above a student that has an elaborate social media presence. Self-reliance and independence is exhibited when a person chooses not to conform to a social standard, which are two traits that any institution should morally value over a fake and shallow virtual