Bill banning employer Facebook snooping introduced in Congress

[kerryket]

Two members of Congress have introduced a bill that would ban the practice of requiring job applicants, employees or students to provide their social networking information.

The Social Networking Online Protection Act, authored by Congressman Eliot Engel of New York andsponsored by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, is in response to a growing number of reports of employers demanding their employees’ Facebook passwords as a condition of employment.

The bill seeks to block any employer from requiring current or potential employees to turn over login credentials to any person; online content can not be used as a condition of employment to "discriminate or deny employment to individuals, nor punish them for refusing to volunteer the information." The bill would apply the same prohibitions to colleges, universities, and K-12 schools. Similar legislation being written by SenatorsRichard Blumenthal (Connecticut) and Chuck Schumer (New York), is expected to be introduced in the Senate later this year.

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[Ladyisis]

I hope this law gets passed! This is a good idea!

[kerryket]

I seem to remember that some kids have made comments on facebook that got them suspended or in trouble in school.  I think there should be a line drawn, unless specific threats have been made.

[abernathyvanna]

Good.

[kanake]

Well said

Quoting countrygirlkat:

I hope it passes as well.  If employers want to go looking online for their employees and look at anything that isn't private go for it.  For them to require private information to be given out crosses the line though.  To me it is the same as if they demanded a key to your house so they could come look around whenever they wanted.