Facebook is bad for you -

[AiA in Atlanta]

NETWORKING website Facebook seems a harmless way to swap gossip and pictures with mates. But it could cost you your job and blight your future.
Yesterday, we revealed how police chiefs have launched a probe into cops who allegedly used the site to brag about crashing cars. And many other users find postings about drunken hijinks or drug-taking come back to haunt them.

Here IT and law expert ANDREW CHARLESWORTH explains why people should be more careful online . . .


A NUMBER of cases recently teach us to err on the side of caution when using sites like Facebook – what you boast about online to your friends may cost you your job.

People don’t think about employers reading their Facebook pages and kids don’t think about their parents going online to check up on them. But an increasing number do.

Employers don’t want to take risks with employees. One way they can find out who they’re hiring is by checking their Facebook page. Recent research by an American university found 23 per cent of employers reviewed candidates’ profiles on social networking sites.



Decked ... ferry workers faced
sack after Facebook pics

It surprised me how many were using sites like Facebook to screen applicants.

Here, workers can now ask to see traditional job references under the Data Protection Act, so people might be reluctant to write the things they would have done years ago.

So employers go to the next best source – Facebook – to find out more. "


http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... 700350.ece

Is this an ethical thing to do..it seems like an invasion of privacy to me...

I use ONLY the professional networking sites and I keep it strictly professional with only career highlights noted. Friends often ask me why I am not on Facebook and other social networking sites. I usually just say I don't have the time but the truth is if I were screening candidates for a job I would check Facebook as well and that is enough to keep me out of there.