The article addresses a concerning trend where employers may unlawfully investigate job applicants' social media accounts. Legal expert Jere Vuorio from the Tradenomiliitto emphasizes that such actions are explicitly prohibited, and he cannot envision any scenario where this intrusion would be justified. This raises significant privacy concerns, suggesting that many employers may not fully understand or comply with data protection regulations.

Vuorio points out that the obligation to respect privacy is mandated by laws on workplace privacy and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which dictate that employers must ensure the necessity of collecting personal information. In recruitment contexts, any gathering of applicants' private data should be closely related to the hiring process, adhering to guidelines that prioritize the integrity of candidates' data.

Despite the legal framework, Vuorio notes that cases of employers probing into candidates' social media still surface occasionally. This disconnection between legal standards and actual employer practices reflects a lack of awareness or training in data protection protocols, which could have serious implications for candidate privacy and employer liability in Finland and beyond.