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Show HN: Checkr.io – API for background checks

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Re: Show HN: Checkr.io – API for background checks

#31

Post by mbesto »

nulagrithom wrote: post #16

The fear of the SSN input in the comments is interesting. That was my knee-jerk reaction as well. I'm not saying the fear is unwarranted, but do you know where your employer is inputting your SSN and where they keep it? How safe do you think your personal data is? I built an employment application 'web app' for a job not too long ago. It was terrible , and against all my objections, we ended up asking for the applica…

I'm not saying the fear is unwarranted, but do you know where your employer is inputting your SSN and where they keep it? How safe do you think your personal data is?

Regardless of whether I think it's safe or not, the reality is that I can sue my employer if there is something malicious. My employer is also naturally incentivized to make sure nothing happens to my identity (because if they did I'd leave the company, and he/she would lose a resource).

Re: Show HN: Checkr.io – API for background checks

#32

Post by phillmv »

timjahn wrote: post #29
phillmv wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the privilege of being a white male who lives in a safe city and thus rarely feels threatened. So, it's not something I think about. What's the threat model? They're going to case your house and rob you at some point in the future? In an ideal world, that sounds plausible. Let's keep child molesters away from child care! Who can disagree with that? But in practice, it means that all offenders are permanent sec…

"Does it matter if person folding your laundry got into a drunken fight when they were 19? Not really." No. It doesn't. Does it matter if a person with a history of DUIs (or even ONE) drives me for Lyft? Yes. Does it matter if a person with a history of armed robbery or home invasion delivers groceries to my house for Instacart? Yes.

Surely, your emotional reaction depends on how long ago the DUI was. What if they had ONE DUI ten years ago?

Armed robbery and home invasion are very different crimes. Just because they held up a liquor store doesn't mean they're going to rob you while you sit in the backseat of their car, with their picture and full identity flashing on your phone. And home invasions are crimes of opportunity.

I'm not sure I think that background discrimination is always wrong. Just that it's grossly overused, and there is no room for discretion - especially considering how many people get bullshit charges in the US.

Does a DUI disqualify you from being a good programmer, or a well respected project manager? I'm not sure that it does. Maybe you're an asshole, or maybe you did something stupid while undergoing your divorce.

It's especially egregious to start barring people from the bottom-of-the-barrel gigs as well. At that rate, you might as well never release them from prison to begin with.

Re: Show HN: Checkr.io – API for background checks

#33

Post by _wmd »

This is a genuinely hard problem and it's great to see new companies taking it on. Unfortunately this particular instance is close to useless - US only is a non starter, it's why this stuff is hard in the first place.

Dealing with country-specific services is as good as aggregating relevant databases directly.

I'd pay good money for a single API that covered most of the western world, and seamlessly integrated external services (e.g. Equifax in the UK)

Re: Show HN: Checkr.io – API for background checks

#34

Post by the_ancient »

timjahn wrote: post #29
phillmv wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the privilege of being a white male who lives in a safe city and thus rarely feels threatened. So, it's not something I think about. What's the threat model? They're going to case your house and rob you at some point in the future? In an ideal world, that sounds plausible. Let's keep child molesters away from child care! Who can disagree with that? But in practice, it means that all offenders are permanent sec…

"Does it matter if person folding your laundry got into a drunken fight when they were 19? Not really." No. It doesn't. Does it matter if a person with a history of DUIs (or even ONE) drives me for Lyft? Yes. Does it matter if a person with a history of armed robbery or home invasion delivers groceries to my house for Instacart? Yes.

Why? Are they Drunk when they pick you up? If not why does not matter if they were drunk 5 years ago, or 1 day ago, they are not drunk at the moment so that is all that should concern you.

I see you have a huge amount of faith in the legal system... That is sad

Re: Show HN: Checkr.io – API for background checks

#35

Post by timjahn »

mgkimsal wrote: post #30
timjahn wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you ever want a stranger driving you home who wasn't background checked in some way? I wouldn't.

front line employees making $9/hour get screened, but executives with golden parachutes manage to get hired with falsified university transcripts, leaving trails of steaming wreckage behind them, destroying thousands of those $9/hour jobs. :( no real relevance to what you posted, but it made me want to rant.

Completely agree.

Re: Show HN: Checkr.io – API for background checks

#36

Post by maratd »

timjahn wrote: post #29
phillmv wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the privilege of being a white male who lives in a safe city and thus rarely feels threatened. So, it's not something I think about. What's the threat model? They're going to case your house and rob you at some point in the future? In an ideal world, that sounds plausible. Let's keep child molesters away from child care! Who can disagree with that? But in practice, it means that all offenders are permanent sec…

"Does it matter if person folding your laundry got into a drunken fight when they were 19? Not really." No. It doesn't. Does it matter if a person with a history of DUIs (or even ONE) drives me for Lyft? Yes. Does it matter if a person with a history of armed robbery or home invasion delivers groceries to my house for Instacart? Yes.

While your points are valid, this is an automated solution. We can sit here and debate this, but software doesn't debate anything.

There will be one conditional statement.

If criminal at any point in time, deny.

That's it.

The overwhelming majority of those utilizing such services do not have the depth or foresight to distinguish between various offenses nor the time periods involved.

Re: Show HN: Checkr.io – API for background checks

#37

Post by binaryorganic »

Previous address history was pretty rough (it listed the same address twice as consecutive residences, put me in a city I'd never lived in, and got most of the dates wrong).

That being said, I'm into it. Those arguing about it's usefulness seem either oblivious to, or annoyed by, the vast number of background checks that are run in this country every day.

Re: Show HN: Checkr.io – API for background checks

#38

Post by apierre »

_wmd wrote: post #33

This is a genuinely hard problem and it's great to see new companies taking it on. Unfortunately this particular instance is close to useless - US only is a non starter, it's why this stuff is hard in the first place. Dealing with country-specific services is as good as aggregating relevant databases directly. I'd pay good money for a single API that covered most of the western world, and seamlessly integrated extern…

I agree with you but I am wondering how would that work on a country specific level. Each country in Europe has their own privacy laws when it comes to query these kind of databases. Not to mention the EU adding another layer in the process.

Take for instance the credit scoring system. There is no such thing as Expedia or privately maintained credit scoring system outside the UK. In France, the Bank of France maintains files which are only available to financial institutions holding a licence.

Another example, in the UK, the sex offenders register is only available through the police, in other countries, there have been citizen initiatives to create such database for specific areas.

This kind of service is more realistic in the US as their SSN is the main ID for background check.

Re: Show HN: Checkr.io – API for background checks

#40

Post by benlesh »

pjc50 wrote: post #19
phillmv wrote: post #8

Talk about a great way to phish any unsuspecting saps who might try out the service. Also, I'm vaguely horrified at the notion that background checks might become standard even for 'sharing economy' gigs. Ah, well, you see, your pot charge disqualifies you from picking up my laundry.

It's the reputational, "whuffie" economy, only in reverse.

TIL (well, today I Googled) what a whuffie is.
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