Guest post today by Tom Bowden. Oh when will they ever learn? (Pete Seeger – Where Have All the Flowers Gone, Copyright 1961 (renewed) Fall River Music Inc. It seems that internet and social media titans Google and Facebook have once again, to no one’s surprise, gotten themselves in some hot water with the FTC [...]

Many a “sick” employee, job seeker or college applicant has discovered that what happens on Facebook or Twitter often doesn’t stay on Facebook or Twitter. Now parties to lawsuits are finding the same thing.

“We are required to notify you of a security breach in which your name, address, social security number, date of birth and medical history may have been released.”

I’ve written before about being careful about what your social media profile might say to potential employers. The City of Bozeman, Montana took its vetting process a step further by asking applicants for municipal jobs to provide all login and password information for social networking and blog sites.

The blogosphere is abuzz this week after a column by Seth Rogan, a well-known marketing consultant, entitled “Personal Branding in the Age of Google.” Seth explored the results of Googling three housekeeper job applicants:

Last week, I blogged about the zone of privacy around Malia and Sasha Obama. Ty Corporation, which makes Beanie Babies, was selling “Marvelous Malia” and “Sweet Sasha” dolls. First Lady Michelle Obama objected to the use of her children’s names and likenesses by a private company.