[metaxy2]

Conversely, new bosses and landlords who want to avoid choosing someone who is objectively a bad choice for everyone else involved (they say they're a full-time carpenter but they're really a weed dealer/bassist in a progressive death metal band, etc.).

Not saying this is a net positive for society by any means, but just another example of a potentially legitimate use for doing online research about someone.

[celdon25]

Sorry, I don't understand how someone's choice of profession reflects on their ability to be a good tenant. Definitely not a reasonable excuse for snooping on someone's supposed Internet history. This is what leads to first come first serve regulations for rental applications.

[metaxy2]

Well, I did have specific reasons for those examples (besides comedy value). Weed dealer tends to bring sketchy and dangerous people to the property. (If you don't buy that, try "heroin dealer" instead.) And I also stipulated that they lied about it. These are all things that happen all the time.

And then as far as "bass player," that's just a proxy for low income; I also picked a hyper-niche genre that even most metal listeners don't enjoy. If he can prove income via sending copies of contracts with music venues or something, more power to him.

For good or bad, this all stuff that could plausibly be used as an accurate source of information about someone's ability to pay and to not be a problem to the other tenants--especially the lying part.