A social media background check looks through your public posts, photos and profiles for things tied to job risk, such as threats, harassment or illegal activity, and when an employer pays a screening company to do it, federal FCRA rules on notice, permission and adverse action apply.
Most standard employment checks do not include one. Some employers add it for public facing, security or leadership roles, and some hiring managers simply look you up on their own. This page covers what usually gets flagged, what should not be used, the password rules some states set, and how to review your own accounts first.
Quick answers
The answer
A review of your public posts for job related risksIncluded by default?
No, it is an add on for some rolesRule that matters
FCRA notice and consent when a screening company does itNot allowed
Decisions based on race, religion, disability and other protected traitsPasswords
Some states, such as California, bar employers from asking
Does a background check include social media?
Not by default. A typical package covers identity, criminal records and maybe work history; social media is an add on. The FTC's consumer page on job background checks notes that employers may look at your public social media and suggests limiting what you post or who can see it. The EEOC's guide for applicants also lists online social media use among the things employers may ask about.
| Who does it | What usually happens | FCRA rules apply? |
|---|---|---|
| A background screening company | Searches public accounts, applies set criteria, sends a written report | Yes: notice, consent, copy of report before rejection |
| The hiring manager or recruiter | Looks at public profiles on their own, often without a written record | Usually no, but discrimination laws still apply |
| A government agency for a clearance or police job | Reviews online presence as part of a larger investigation | The agency's own rules apply |
What a social media background check usually looks for
Screening companies that offer this service tend to flag a short list of job related behaviors and to leave out everything else.
- threats or praise of violence
- harassment, bullying or hate speech toward groups or people
- illegal drug use or other illegal activity shown or bragged about
- sharing confidential information from a past employer
- sexually explicit material posted publicly
- claims that contradict your application, such as a different job title or degree
Posts that are private, deleted long ago or posted by friends about you are less likely to appear, though nothing is certain once something was public.
What employers should not use
Your profiles reveal things a hiring decision may not lawfully rest on: race, religion, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, genetic information and more. The EEOC tells employers to apply identical standards to everyone, whatever those traits, when reviewing background information. One reason employers hire a screening company for this is so the person deciding never sees those details, only the flagged items.
Many states also protect lawful off duty conduct or political activity in some form, and federal labor law protects workers who talk together about pay and working conditions. Check your state's labor department for details.
Can an employer ask for your social media password?
A number of states ban it. California's Labor Code 980, for example, says an employer may not require or ask an applicant or employee to share a username or password for personal social media, to open personal accounts in front of the employer, or to hand over personal social media, with narrow exceptions for workplace misconduct investigations and employer owned devices. It also bars retaliation for refusing.
"I am happy to share links to my public professional profiles. I keep my personal accounts private and would prefer not to share login details."
Offer public profile links if you are comfortable, and politely decline to share logins.
Type a password into an employer's form or log in on their device for them to scroll.
How to do a social media background check on yourself
- Log out, open a private browser window and search your full name, nicknames, email and phone number.
- Open each of your profiles while logged out to see what a stranger sees.
- Scroll back through posts, photos, comments and tags, oldest first if possible.
- Delete or hide anything that matches the risk list above. Untag yourself from friends' photos you do not want shown.
- Tighten privacy settings so only friends see personal posts.
- Make sure job titles and dates on any professional profile match your application.
This free self check takes about an hour and is the closest you can get to what a screener sees. Do it before you apply, not after the offer.
For your criminal and credit records, see background check on yourself.
Social media background check pros and cons
| For applicants | Upside | Downside |
|---|---|---|
| Through a screening company | You get notice, a copy and a chance to respond under the FCRA | Old public posts can come up out of context |
| Informal look by a manager | Your strong professional presence may help | No notice, and you may never learn why you were passed over |
| No social media at all | Nothing negative to find | Some employers expect a professional profile for certain roles |
If a screening company flags something and you get a pre adverse action notice, read our failed background check page and the dispute guide for how to respond.
If a post is used against you
When the report came from a screening company, you should get a copy before a final decision. Check that the accounts are really yours, since name matches happen. If the post was a joke taken out of context or is years old, a short written explanation can help.
"The post flagged in the report is from an account that is not mine; my only profile is [link]. Please correct the report."
"The post from [month] was a quote from a film I was reviewing. I have removed it and would welcome the chance to discuss it."
This page explains general rules from the FTC, the EEOC and one state code. For a decision about your own case, a local legal aid program or an attorney who handles employment matters is the right next stop. See also background check laws and your rights.
Questions people ask
What is a social media background check?
It is a review of your public online posts and profiles for job related risks such as violence, harassment or illegal activity. A screening company or the employer can do it.
Do background checks check social media?
Most standard employment checks do not. Some employers add it for certain roles, and some managers look on their own.
What shows up on a social media background check?
Usually only flagged items: threats, harassment, illegal activity, explicit public content and false claims about your work. Protected details like religion should be left out.
Is there a free social media background check?
You can do one on yourself at no cost by searching your name while logged out and reviewing every public post. Be wary of sites that charge to scan you.
Can I refuse a social media check?
You can refuse to sign consent for a screening company's report, but the employer may then stop considering you. In states like California, you can also refuse to share passwords.
Does deleting posts remove them from a social media check?
Deleting usually stops new searches from finding them, but copies, screenshots and archives can linger. Clean up early, before you apply.