Sometimes snitching is justified. "f someone is breaking a law — an important one, like theft — or harming the well-being of another, your obligation is clear,"says Michele Moody-Adams, a philosophy professor and the director of the Ethics in Public Life Program at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York. Reporting wrongdoing is usually the right thing to do in public life or a work-related situation. An independent investigator can look into the matter, so you don' have to worry about repercussions. In personal relationships, you must use discretion, says Moody-Adams. "You should make sure you're telling for the right reason and your standard of evidence is high." Before tattling, examine how your words might affect you, the person you're informing, and the person you're talking about.