Your social networks are fair game. The Federal Trade Commission has given a startup called Social Intelligence the green light to conduct background checks on you based on your social network activity under the guidelines of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Think twice about posting that embarrassing photo on Facebook, and watch what you tweet, because it may make the difference in your next job or college admissions interview.

Companies and colleges know that you have an online persona, and they are going to try to learn about the real you by investigating that online persona before making hiring or admissions decisions. Organizations are already digging in to your social networks, but they may cross ethical boundaries, and they may uncover damning information they weren’t even looking for. If you think that the service offered by Social Intelligence seems invasive, or that the company is crossing the line in stalking your online antics, consider the alternative.