Employers look at facebook profile?

[Anonymousgirl]

I was recently told that even if your facebook profile is hidden from public view, and you have all thye privacy settings on, potential employers are still able to get information on your regarding your profile. Now, I don't have bad pictures of me or have very inappropriate things on my facebook, but sometimes it's my friends who can say weird things. One time my sister posted a link to a very inappropriate picture (it was funny, but probably wouldn't be funny to an employer).

This seems unfair, as I would think what you do as an adult over 21 outside of work is your own business, and just because you happen to have a picture of yourself drinking shots, kissing a guy, or acting crazy means you could lose a potential job offer. Granted, you shouldn't be posting scandalous pictures of yourself...but a teacher of mine recently told us about how there was a picture of a former student of his making out with her boyfriend holding a drink (typical bar scene) and the employer showed her a computer screen with her facebook and told her flat out that kind of behavior was unacceptable. She didn't get the job.

What if I was kissing my husband and an employer happened to see that? What, now that's inappropriate? I've never been one to be riled up about facebook, but this seems unfair and a violation of privacy. How are employers getting information about their potential hirees when these people go out of their way to ensure their privacy? That makes no sense?