The Ontario Human Rights Commission has weighed in on whether employers can request a job applicant's Facebook password.

The verdict? In a Facebook post, the Commission said Friday that doing so violates the province's human rights code.

``(E)mployers should not ask job applicants for access to information stored on social media or other online sites and that doing so could leave an employer open to a claim of discrimination under the Code,'' it said.

The Commission referred to Section 23(2) of the Ontario Human Rights Code, which prohibits direct or indirect questions on discriminatory grounds such as race, marital status, age, religion, disability or receipt of public assistance.

``For this reason, the OHRC believes employers should not ask job applicants for access to information stored on social media or other online sites,'' it said.

The commission was responding to media reports that a candidate for a law enforcement position in the Toronto area was asked at an interview to provide his Facebook login and password information.

``Employers could face a finding of discrimination even if there is no intention to discriminate. The fact that improper questions have been asked is sufficient to prove discrimination, even if the applicant is ultimately given the job,'' it said.

The commission cautioned job applicants to use discretion when posting publicly available information online which ``may reveal details about themselves that could be used for discriminatory purposes.''

Meanwhile, Facebook issued a post on Friday calling the practice a violation of its privacy guidelines.

``In recent months, we've seen a distressing increase in reports of employers or others seeking to gain inappropriate access to people's Facebook profiles or private information.

``This practice undermines the privacy expectations and the security of both the user and the user's friends. It also potentially exposes the employer who seeks this access to unanticipated legal liability,'' said Erin Egan, Facebook's chief privacy officer.

``If you are a Facebook user, you should never have to share your password, let anyone access your account or do anything that might jeopardize the security of your account or violate the privacy of your friends.''