Expert questions the legality of using Facebook to hire

An expert has warned of the potential legal repercussions of using Facebook and Twitter as a hiring tool.

It's an informal group and for an informal audience, said Shafiq Lokhanwala, chief executive officer of Nuview Systems.

The expert warned that the line between social and professional spheres is being blurred, citing the example of where a candidate's offer of employment was rescinded when the would-be employer found comments written on a social networking site by the candidate that the job was merely a stepping stone and that he wasn't really that interested.

That scenario presents no specific problems for the organisation, but if they rescinded the offer based on a comment made on a social networking site by the candidate's friend, and not by them, or it is the wrong person, there could be legal problems, according to the expert.

For organisations considering using social networking sites, Mr Lokhandwala suggests using such platforms only to confirm social fit once a candidate has been hired, but not in the actual hiring decision itself.

Potential legal repercussions aside, Lokhandwala said there is just too much information on social networks to make the recruitment process efficient.

It comes as an expert last week said that people should have two Facebook accounts, one personal and one professional.

A spokesperson for ClickAJob is sceptical of such wisdom.

Like it or not, it's a fact of life that you're entirely responsible for what you say and do, he points out.

If you shoot your mouth off in the pub and it gets back to your employer, you deserve everything that happens to you. Facebook is no different, only the place changes.

He goes on to say that cautious employers owe it to themselves to use social networking tools, particularly in a recession.

With increased competition for jobs, especially if a high salary is at stake, not everyone is entirely scrupulous in the applications they make, he says.

As many as 70% of applicants already tell porkies on their CVs, so employers really need to screen carefully to ensure they choose well - selecting a character that gets on well with the rest of the team and who fits the company culture, he continues.

If applicants choose to be indiscreet online - the most public place in the world - that's their lookout.

Brandi Milton, coordinator of corporative education at the Florida A&M University Career Centre, said: Be conscious of other people's comments.