Privacy and public image

The purpose of identity verification and background checks for employment is to ensure safety and determine eligibility for employment, housing or credit. Options for confirming identifications vary from official credit checks and consultation of legal records to software and websites. Some internet ID verification companies may offer misleading information about individuals' arrest records, according to a recent Reuters article on a Harvard University study. This kind of deception raises red flags for some and may have ramifications in several regulations that define the electronic environment and the laws that govern its use of private data. These trends may also affect debt collection firms, short term lenders and data management entities. The Harvard study alleges that there is a dynamic of race and negative stereotypes when it comes to the ways online ads might target consumers. This issue is significant for companies to consider as it speaks to issues of private information such as identity in relation to data collection Companies should avoid images that suggest anything negative about race, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexuality in order to not alienate communities within the public. To ensure professionalism, it is well advised to avoid negative stereotypes in any capacity.