I’ve never been a big fan of Facebook, or MySpace, for that matter. As such, I’ve never been swayed by the relentless overhyping of those who have tried to convince the world that Facebook and other such sites are the future of recruiting.

Some of the big job boards, such as CareerBuilder, Jobster and Yahoo HotJobs, currently have or are developing Facebook applications in hopes of helping recruiters and hiring managers reach out to Facebook users. As we reported here at Workforce Management, “More than half of the site’s users are out of college and many are seeking full-time jobs in a career-oriented environment, which makes them a coveted workforce group among employers searching for young talent.”

But now Facebook has a big problem: a “legal battle over whether Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg ripped off Harvard classmates in launching his social networking Web site,” according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The case is currently being heard in a San Jose, California, courtroom. “At issue is whether ConnectU, founded by some of Zuckerberg’s Harvard classmates, can reopen a settlement they reached with Facebook over their claims that he stole their ideas and code to start his company. ConnectU claims it found new evidence relevant to the case,” the story says.

The stakes, the newspaper notes, are enormous: “ ‘The worst case scenario is that Facebook doesn’t own its core code and that it’s been using someone else’s code for the foundation of its company. That could lead to damages that are catastrophic,’ said Eric Goldman, assistant professor at the Santa Clara University School of Law and director of SCU’s High Tech Law Institute. ‘In the worst case scenario, this could be a fight for Facebook’s life.’ ”

So, even if social networking does become a big deal in recruiting, Facebook may not be a part of it, depending on the outcome of this lawsuit. And even if Facebook prevails, it may be a costly victory. As the Mercury News points out, “Facebook appears to be racking up considerable legal bills. On Monday, Facebook attorney Neel Chatterjee was backed up by 10 colleagues from his firm, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe. ConnectU’s side included attorneys from Finnegan Henderson, which specializes in intellectual property, and attorneys from the high-powered Washington, D.C., firm Boies Schiller & Flexner. Attorneys representing two separate interested parties were also present.”

This is a case to watch, and it may be the one thing that can actually bring highflying Facebook back to earth. If so, it may be time to rethink all that hype about the site as the future of recruiting.