An employment law specialist is urging employers not to follow the example of Humberside Police by asking for a selfie from potential candidates.
A recruitment advert for the £117,000-a-year deputy chief constable position tells potential candidates to send a selfie photograph in order to receive an application pack.
Jessica Corsi, a partner at Doyle Clayton, said it could lead to problems.
She said: "First, there is the chance that unsuccessful candidates might consider they have been discriminated against if they are not shortlisted for interview based on the photo, for instance if they are from a minority ethnic group.
"Also, there is the question of what the police do with the selfies afterwards. Broadly speaking, under data protection laws they'd have to safely dispose of it once it was no longer necessary to them, but they are creating a compliance problem for themselves to ensure this is done correctly, especially where information is shared internally on emails."
A Humberside Police spokeswoman said: "The request for a photograph plays no part in the rigorous short-listing and selection process appropriate to this key, demanding, strategic role."
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