You will be subjected to a background investigation. The polygraph is the last step, as it is the most expensive. Before you even get to the polygraph you will have to fill out a document detailing a bunch of personal information: previous addresses, aliases, foreign contacts, travel outside the country, arrests and/or convictions, finances, bankrupcies, etc.
Assuming you're clean on the rest of the background check you'll get around to the poly. There are two components: counter-intelligence and lifestyle. As part of the lifestyle they will ask you if you have ever committed a _serious_ crime. By serious, they mean committed murder, rape, molestation of a child, armed robbery, involved with prostitution, etc.
Now, "involved with prostitution" primarily means as a pimp or as a prostitute (love the double standard ladies??). The question is primarily concerned with violent crimes. You can argue the semantics of owning or using a dating/personal introduction service/etc. all you want. And there's not much of a violent component associated with the level of clientele and service we find on this board. But the question will be asked and you will have to come to terms with it.
Your answer to the question may be a problem, depending on the branch of government. Lying about it will certainly be a problem. Anything you confess may be used against you. I.e. if you admit to an unsolved murder in order to be truthful they will turn you over to the proper authorities.
Now, admitting to using the services of an escort will most likely not cause you any legal problems. Heck, in parts of Nevada it's legal, so there's no problem (other than "moral" or "character" biases). You will have to talk about it though.
Of course, if you are the coolest damn customer they ever saw and can lie without your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, or electro-dermal (sweat) activity changing then you've got no worries.
BTW, I have several friends with clearances requiring a polygraph, some of whom have hobbied. I don't know the particulars about their interviews, but they still work in areas where clearances are required.
With all the above being said, I think that the FBI would have more of an issue with your answer to hobbying than would many of the other 3-letter agencies you can find scattered around the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.
-- Modified on 10/14/2004 3:51:48 PM