News and media

Solution available to officials, players, coaches and supporters at an exclusive rate.

Manchester: 5/2/2022: Social Media Check (SMC) today announces an agreement with the Isthmian Football League to provide its market-leading software solution at an exclusive rate to officials, players, coaches and supporters of Isthmian League clubs.

SMC is a fully automated risk assessment service that checks an individual’s social media history. An approved App partner of major social media platforms, it checks both public and private posts with the individual’s consent, returning a comprehensive report in under thirty minutes irrespective of the number of posts that have been generated.

Nowadays most people have a significant social media footprint and posts can say a lot about an individual’s attitude, beliefs and behaviours. High-profile cases in entertainment and sport have demonstrated how damaging even historic posts can be to an individual or organisation. Many more don’t get the media spotlight but are equally costly. Indeed, it is becoming increasingly commonplace for social media conduct to be scrutinized by organisations to avoid embarrassment or even financial penalties. 

“We applaud the Isthmian Football League for its proactive stance in helping to educate individuals on the appropriate use of social media and its potential impacts. It’s difficult to remember everything you might have posted online. We have short memories but social media doesn’t. SMC enables you to edit or delete a post that doesn’t reflect your true values today”, said Nic Whelan SMC business development director.

SMC is increasingly being used across a wide variety of markets in the public and private sector where vetting is required in the hiring process or where companies want to ensure individuals meet their corporate values. The solution has been developed using machine learning and algorithms eliminating the need for manual searching or the possibility of unconscious bias. It identifies risks across seven categories: toxic language, extreme groups, violent images, hate speech, swearing and profanity, adult images and negative sentiment.

“We see great benefits in our League promoting this service to our clubs and are pleased to be able to offer them an extremely attractive, preferential rate for their members to take advantage of this solution. It dovetails nicely with the FA’s Code of Respect campaign and we are pleased to be driving something positive towards that ongoing initiative at a grassroots level. Understanding the impact of a social media post should be an important deterrent to people posting online abuse or racial and homophobic slurs,” said Nick Robinson, Isthmian Football League chairman.

Media enquiries:

nigel.judd@socialmediacheck.com

00351 963961388

Centerprise International launches new social media screening tool in partnership with Social Media Check.

  • Fully automated screening checks of Public and Private posts deliver insights to your inbox in minutes to controlled recipients following a two-step consent and report process 
  • 100% security guaranteed with compliance to GDPR and ISO 27001 standards
  • Approved App partner of social media platforms

Centerprise International today announces a new partnership with Social Media Check (SMC) to provide its UK customers a fully automated risk assessment service which checks an individual’s social media history. As an approved App partner of social media platforms, SMC checks both public and private posts following an individual’s consent and returns a comprehensive report in under thirty minutes. 

“Most people have a significant social media footprint and posts are under scrutiny more than ever. SMC helps employers and employees to identify, manage and mitigate risks for roles where compliance and security concerns are a consideration or where reputational damage can cause embarrassment or financial and legal penalties,” said Nic Whelan, SMC Business Development Director. 

Fully automated system
SMC’s software solution uses machine learning and algorithms to eliminate the need for manual searches and the possibility of unconscious bias. The tool identifies risks across seven categories: toxic language, extreme groups, violent images, hate speech, swearing and profanity, adult images, and negative sentiment. The solution can also be easily integrated into HR management systems.

‘Centerprise have a number of initiatives to bring new technological capabilities to our many Defence customers. We are delighted to partner with SMC to deliver a fully automated risk assessment service which increases efficiency and transforms the manual vetting process experience,’ said Mark Brady, Director Defence and Security at Centerprise.

GDPR and Security
SMC is fully GDPR compliant with checks only conducted with the individual’s permission. It uses OAuth, enabling information to be exchanged without users having to disclose their passwords. In addition, the SMC solution, including hosting services and software, all comply with the most stringent data security standards (ISO27001). 

Use Case Scenarios
The SMC solution is applicable across a wide variety of public and private sector markets where an effective vetting process is required, such as for new hires or when companies want to ensure employees meet their corporate values. Moreover, it helps educate individuals on the appropriate use of social media and its potential impacts. “Growing up online, we create a significant amount of data about ourselves. Sometimes, we mistakenly share things that no longer represent us. SMC provides the opportunity to edit or delete a post that doesn’t reflect a person’s true values or behaviours today,” added Whelan.

About Centerprise International
Founded in 1983, Centerprise International is a leading UK IT value-added reseller and manufacturer, providing end-to-end IT solutions in collaboration with best-of-breed IT innovation partners and a proven understanding of the UK’s regulated IT landscape. Committed to understanding and meeting the needs and expectations of its customers. Centerprise has a track record of delivering unique tailored solutions from industry leading technology. Strong company values rooted in honesty, trust, and respect, have always been a guiding principle and focus on building lasting relationships and delivering real value across both the public and private sectors. 

Visit: https://centerprise.co.uk  

Contact: Centerprise International

mod@centerprise.co.uk 

In 2021, there were 4.48 billion people actively using social media in the world. Almost 66% of the UK’s population are said to be active social media users.

We use social media for access to news and information, increasingly for decision making and typically for social interaction. It has become a vital tool used daily by the majority of its users. Social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked-In etc are familiar ways of communicating to a wide audience of friends, family, colleagues and even people we don’t know. Indeed, over a comparatively short period of time, most of us have left a considerable social media footprint. We might have short memories but social media doesn’t and it provides a significant amount of information about our beliefs, attitudes and behaviours which increasingly organisations consider when looking to hire individuals into their organisations.

For some companies, a social media check may be a requirement as part of the mandatory vetting process. For others, it may well be to see if the individual fits the corporate values of that organisation. It’s understandable that companies want to protect themselves against a bad hire and the reputational risk it might cause. There have been many high-profile cases in the media where a social post has come to light which has adversely harmed an individual’s career or even incurred a financial penalty for the company. Of course, there are many more which don’t get the media spotlight but nevertheless leave an indelible impression on that individual. Whilst we can all make mistakes, it’s also true that a person’s online behaviour often reflects how they behave off-line.

Social Media Check (SMC) helps employers and employees to identify, manage and mitigate risks with a fully automated risk assessment service developed using machine learning and algorithms, eliminating the need for manual searching or the possibility of unconscious bias. It identifies risks across seven categories: toxic language, extreme groups, violent images, hate speech, swearing and profanity, adult images and negative sentiment. Most importantly, SMC is an approved App partner by leading social media platforms and is fully compliant, checking both public and private posts with the individual’s consent and returning a comprehensive report within thirty minutes. It uses OAuth, enabling information to be exchanged without users having to disclose their passwords. By excluding private messaging like Whatsapp and FB Messenger, it also protects the privacy of individuals.

Whilst SMC is a valuable tool for employers as part of the vetting process, it also helps to educate individuals on the appropriate use of social media and its potential impacts. After all, can you remember everything that you’ve posted online? The chance to cost-effectively find your social media history, delete or edit any posts that don’t reflect your true values today, is a good way to help secure your future tomorrow.

Landing that first job or getting that next promotion is hard enough.

Nowadays, we create a significant social media footprint. It can say a lot about our attitude, beliefs and behaviours – characteristics that are important for employers in the hiring process. 

Did you know that 90%* of employers are already checking your social media history? For some positions, a social media check may be a requirement as part of the mandatory vetting process. For others, it may well be to see if the individual fits the corporate values of that organisation. It’s understandable that companies want to protect themselves against a bad hire and the reputational risk it might cause. 

Can you remember everything you’ve posted on-line? We might have short memories but social media doesn’t.  We can all make mistakes. You’ve probably seen some of the high-profile cases in the media where a social post has come to light which has adversely affected that person’s career. Of course, there are many more which don’t get the media spotlight but have cost an individual taking that first step on the career ladder.

Far better that you check out your social media history before someone else does. Click here for more info and a short explainer video.

With your consent, our software searches all your posts, both public and private, across the major social media platforms. As our solution is fully automated, no human is looking at your posts, nor having access to your passwords. It simply and securely provides you with your own personal report in rapid time, no matter how many posts you may have made, identifying risks across seven categories: toxic language, extreme groups, violent images, hate speech, swearing and profanity, adult images and negative sentiment. You can then decide to edit or delete any posts that might now cause embarrassment or truly don’t represent you or the values you hold today.

Don’t get caught out. Go to: www.socialmediacheck.com 

*Source: Manifest 2020 Recruitment Survey, CareerBuilder Survey 2018

KCSIE: The key proposed changes to safeguarding guidance

1. Social media checks for job applicants

Perhaps the most notable change in the consultation is on page 51, at paragraph 215, which says that when schools are recruiting new staff they “should consider” performing online searches on candidates as part of their shortlisting process:

“As part of the shortlisting process, schools and colleges should consider carrying out an online search (including social media) as part of their due diligence on the shortlisted candidates. This may help identify any incidents or issues that have happened, and are publicly available online, which the school or college might want to explore with the applicant at interview.”

Currently, the KCSIE guidance makes no mention of online searches for prospective new staff, but Simon Bevan, a partner in the education team at VWV Solicitors, says this proposed change is a logical next step, given that since 2016 schools have been advised to perform online searches in advance of guest speakers visiting the school.

“If this is the advice for someone who is always supervised and only with the children for an hour or so, then it’s worth doing for someone who is going to be in the classroom,” says Bevan.

Bevan also suggests that the online checks before appointment also make sense because it is likely parents may be doing this anyway around any new hire that is announced,

“These will inevitably happen when a new teacher starts at a school, so it’s sensible schools ‘get in there first’,” he adds.

Thomas Michael, a deputy designated safeguarding lead and welfare officer at a secondary school in the West Midlands, makes a similar point, noting that this is advice given to students about their future employers so it makes sense schools should be doing it, too.

“We always warn students about future employers searching their social media prior to interviews,” he says. “So, finally, we seem to have caught up with the advice we administer.”

However, acting on this advice is not straightforward.

Bevan warns leaders that this power needs to be used carefully to avoid accidentally discriminating against a candidate.

“If the school looks at their profile and discovers information that doesn’t go to their suitability to work in a school, then that shouldn’t impact upon your recruitment decision,” he says. “You should only be making decisions on reasonable and objective information.”

Bevan says, for example, if the checks uncover that a candidate is a parent or reveal their sexual orientation, ethnicity or another protected characteristic, that cannot be used as a basis for the decision whether or not to call them for an interview.

“That’s a potential discriminatory situation, and you would be at risk for a discrimination claim,” he warns.

“The online search is to check you’re not recruiting someone who behaves unlawfully, is unsuitable to work with children, and not bringing the school into disrepute,” Bevan says. “You have to be mindful while you’re doing it that you’re not allowing prejudice to come into your decision-making.”

This fear about the potential misuse of online searches is shared by Michael, who makes the point that searches that go too far into the past may bring up “irrelevant” information that prevents a good candidate from being shortlisted.

“The information found might be from more than a decade ago, and suggest types of behaviours or beliefs that aren’t held any more,” he says.

So what can schools do to protect themselves against a potential discrimination case? Bevan suggests using a member of staff who isn’t directly involved in the shortlisting to perform the online searches.

“They could be instructed to only pass on information about suitability to work in a school, keeping anything about protected characteristics confidential,” he says.

Bevan compares the process to equal opportunities data collection – something that “sits outside the recruitment process in the first instance” and “is only introduced to shortlisting if it impacts on their suitability to work with children”.

Michael says that the guidance needs to be more specific, too, “Although it refers to ‘checking social media’, what exactly are they checking for? And how extensively? It needs more clarity,” he adds.

Meanwhile, Craig Keady, a former DSL who now works in teacher recruitment with Satis Education, notes that if this becomes part of the formal documentation later this year, schools will need to create proper processes for doing this to ensure relevant information is found.

“A quick Google search and typing their name into the search bar on Facebook or Twitter is a starting point and will pick up the biggest of issues, but does it tell the whole story given how many platforms there are on social media, and the scale of someone’s digital footprint? Ten per cent of Twitter users have, for example, posted in excess of 1,000 tweets. Do you read them all?” he asks.
 
“The key is to develop a process that systematically reviews an individual’s online profile robustly and fairly.”

 

Read the entire article HERE

Online vetting is spreading—and worrying

You may never know why. The email will arrive and reasons offered for your rejection might be the real ones—or not. Companies do not always like to admit that they have been scrolling through your Instagram or Twitter feed, noting drunken photos and off-colour jokes. Yet many, particularly the big ones, are doing just that. And in increasing numbers, they are acting on what they find when deciding whom to hire and whom to pass over.

Read the entire article HERE

Watch HERE

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What our customers are saying

Our role is to protect and support our clients. We feel confident that with Social Media Checks service in place we now have that added level of security, ensuring that we are bringing the right people to The Maggie Oliver Foundation.

Maggie Oliver, The Maggie oliver foundation

Social Media Check have supported NYAS by enhancing our safer recruitment process through providing additional checks on top of the usual reference and enhanced DBS checks. This additional element of our recruitment process has added real value for NYAS as well as providing an extra layer of reassurance.

I would have no hesitation in recommending the services of Ben Hart and his team at Social Media Check for any organisation involved in recruiting, but especially any organisations involved with providing a front line service to children, young people and vulnerable adults. The work they do should be a standard requirement of all recruitment drives.

Rita Waters GCE, National Youth Advocacy Service

This is an approach that everyone who has ever used social media should consider.

Nick Robinson Chairman, The Isthmian League

The output report is the best we have seen in the market. It clearly identifies the social platforms that have been checked and provides links to any offensive posts within the report.

This has been critical to allowing the end-user to clean up their accounts quickly and easily.

Recruitment Agency, Cheshire.

The fact that Social Media Check obtains full consent for every platform means that my reports contain both public and private post findings.

This was a key requirement for us when looking at our sensitive end-user accounts.

Trusted Customer.

It’s easy to forget what I posted in my teens and I was shocked at what the report found, it certainly doesn’t represent me now! Happily with one click those comments and posts are gone for good and I can be confident of my online profile thanks to Social Media Check.

Olivia Cooper