Hiring and FaceBook

I have just read that companies routinely review facebook and myspace activity when screening prospective candidates. One allegation is that if your profile is blocked to non-friends, they may ask you to log in in front of them to let them have a look. This is roughly equivalent to showing up at my home and demanding an opportunity to sift through my trash and check for signs of moral turpitude like blended Scotch or subversive literature like Fahrenheit 451...

From Reg Braithwaite's description of why checking the web to discover people's personal activities and politics is an ineffective hiring practice, and why any company that would do that should really not hire him.

I agree, which is no big surprise.