The internet has backed a worker who refused to show their "power-trippy" recruiter around their room during a Zoom interview, saying it's a "huge invasion of privacy."
In a post shared on Reddit on Sunday, the worker, who goes by the username u/nuestl explained that they were interviewing for a role in a "fast-paced environment," and the interview was going well, when all of a sudden the interviewer asked u/nuestl to show their room.
"The room wasn't in a state that I was comfortable showing, and I was shocked that this was even being requested," said the poster.
When they asked the recruiter the nature of this request, she answered saying that it's a "role that requires a lot of organization and time management, and 'you can tell a lot about a person from the way their room looks.'"
The worker continued: "I suck under pressure so I fumbled a bit, and the interviewer then was like 'it's fine if you're not comfortable with that' and we moved on. But I just can't stop thinking about it. It felt so… power-trippy?"
According to tech guide CNET, privacy experts began expressing concerns about Zoom in 2019, when the software experienced a webcam hacking scandal, and a bug that allowed people to potentially join video calls they hadn't been invited to, if they weren't protected with a password.
In 2020, when many companies and services moved online, the Electronic Frontier Foundation warned users about the software's onboard privacy features, and shared some tips on how to safeguard their privacy online.
The post which was first shared on the r/antiwork subreddit, where people usually discuss issues related to employment, has gone viral hitting 18,000 upvotes and 1,300 comments.
Most users found the request inappropriate, and backed the poster's decision. One user, -technosapien-, joked: "Do you want me to open my drawer of toys too?"
Bluwisdom commented: "I kinda wish the reply was 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours. I want to make sure that you fully represent your company's values.' Then proceed to ask to see every single part of their house before deciding the job want for them."
Another user, iwouldrathernot03 said: "Should I let you know when I'm going to take a s*** tomorrow or would that be none of you're f***ing business either?" Siko_xc added: "You must schedule it ahead of time, and it must be approved."
Balaam_beast, shared a similar experience: "Was offered a work from home job recently that part of the things I had to agree to in order to do the job would be random 'Desk Checks' where they would require me to turn my webcam and show my desk off to them to ensure there was nothing 'distracting' on it. Like paper and pens or food. I noped out of that one."
"LOL well I have complete control of the green screen behind me. Let's be in a train station. Now a mountain top. Next, the bottom of the ocean. And back to a normal looking office. Did you like the tour?" joked AdFun5641.
PleaseMakePasta said: "I've never heard of this. That is a HUGE invasion of privacy." Hawk_Letov wrote: "Unless they're paying for the facility, they don't need to see it." And Charming_External_92 added: "Even if they pay. Your personal space, where you live, is yours space."
Christopherfromtheuk said: "Massive red flag. The only response is 'no, that's unprofessional and says infinitely more about your company than my room about me. This is clearly not a good fit. I hope you find someone better suited. Goodbye'."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Maria Azzurra Volpe is a Newsweek Lifestyle Reporter based in London. Her focus is reporting on lifestyle and trends-related stories, ... Read more
