With the internet nowadays there is no privacy. When hiring a candidate it is a question if information from the internet should be used for the decision.

When searching for someone on the internet there should be a group that most defiantly needs to be rutted out.If you find negative information about a candidate really easily (on the first page when you googled them) then they should not be considered. 

However, if information is not founded easily then it could be debated if the candidate should be hired. 
It could be very risky and costly to hire someone that has negative information on the net. If information is severe enough and this candidate is hired then it could be really embarrassing for the company. 

Also, if the information found shows that the candidate has a different view point than the company and the candidate follows their own view point it might cost the company. For example, if a nonsmoker believer is hired for a cigarette company and decides to destroy all the cigarettes.  

To look at it as a benefit: it could be very beneficial if a company took information from the web and decided not to hire a candidate and is saved from losing more in the future. 

Social networking sites could be a candidate's privacy that companies could or could not get involved with but the tiniest information found might change the future of a company. This is especially true if the candidate is being hired for a key role. 
   
On the other hand, if the candidate is exceptionally brilliant and because of information found on the web the company loses out on exceptional talent then it might also be costly to the company.

There are different views for this topic but all factors should be considered when making a decision and not just information found on the web.   

Christina Li 

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As a candidate, you should carefully consider what you publish on the web.
Future potential employers may see it and may chose to hire you or not based on being influenced by it.

Many employers, many interviewers do search for candidates on the Internet.
However, one should be cautious about jumping to rash conclusions based on what you find.
People have similar names, so you will often find other people with the same name.
Go ahead; search for me, JeffGrigg.
Everything about boating is not me.  That's some other JeffGrigg.

Also, some people have been on the Internet and have posted content for quite a few years.
Their opinions may have changed over that time.

As an interviewer, I consider the things I find on the Internet may be a good thing to discuss with the interviewee, to see what they have to say about them.
-- JeffGrigg