An IBM employee in Canada lost her medical disability benefits for severe depression when photos were reviewed of her “having fun,” on Facebook.

Story from AP (Courtesy of Yahoo! News)

BROMONT, Quebec – A Canadian woman on long-term sick leave for depression says she lost her benefits because her insurance agent found photos of her on Facebook in which she appeared to be having fun.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Saturday she was diagnosed with major depression and was receiving monthly sick-leave benefits from insurance giant Manulife.

But the payments dried up this fall and when Blanchard called Manulife, she says she was told she was available to work because of Facebook.

She said her insurance agent described several pictures Blanchard posted on Facebook, including ones showing her having a good time at a Chippendales bar show, at her birthday party and on a sun holiday.

I’ll tell ya, if there’s any quicker way to get rid of the blues than to go to Chippendale’s, somebody let me know.  Works every time.   There’s great food there, too.

Seriously, the buffet there is fantastic.

Blanchard told the CBC that on her doctor’s advice, she tried to have fun, including nights out at her local bar with friends and short getaways to sun destinations, as a way to forget her problems.

Manulife wouldn’t comment on Blanchard’s case, but did say they would not deny or terminate a claim solely based on information published on Web sites such as Facebook.

This lady isn’t the first to be outed for her exploits via social networking sites (Here’s looking at you, Larry Johnson).  From the “halloween costume” fairy who said he was out sick, to countless college students apprehended for drinking, the internet is becoming the newest stomping grounds for people to stalk your character.

There’s two ways to deal with this, either no one puts up anything of themselves online anymore, or there becomes an Internet Constitution so to speak, where things like Facebook and Myspace can no longer be used as evidence in employment cases, without additional criminal charges, for example.  I’m hoping it’s the latter, otherwise I’ll have to take down all my Chippendales pictures… again.   Sigh…