Sydney-based SR7 is a company that specialises in "online risk and reputation management," in other words it digs up dirt about people on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube for money.

It says it's the only company in Australia that monitors such sites, and that it is being contracted by government agencies and large corporations to, well, find out whether their employees have been naughty. SR7 director James Griffin claims business is great, especially following several instances of highly publicized PR disasters caused by daft workers running their tongues.

However, some believe SR7's research could be used unethically, as companies try to get rid of employees for trivial reasons in a time of economic crisis.

More here.