Arkansas lawmaker proposes ban on employers asking for social media account passwords

[The Straight Story]

Arkansas lawmaker proposes ban on employers asking for social media account passwords

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas lawmaker has proposed banning employers from asking current or prospective employees for their usernames or passwords to Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts.

Democratic Rep. Nate Steel of Nashville filed the bill Friday. It would prohibit employers from threatening or taking disciplinary action against employees or applicants for not revealing their usernames or passwords. Employers could not refuse to hire applicants for not handing over their social media information.

The legislation would also apply to email accounts. Employers would also be barred from requiring employees or applicants to change the privacy settings of their social media accounts.

Six states have enacted similar laws. Steel's measure would not prohibit employers from viewing publicly available information online about current or prospective employees.

http://www.ky3.com/news/sns-ap-ar-xgr--social-media-passwords-arkansas-20130308,0,7765557.story

[SwissTony]

1. The idea of employers having access to your social media has always bothered me.

If it's not in the public domain, it's private. Not just for you, but for those with whom you are communicating.

An example: suppose your best friend confides in you via one of the media that he/she thinks that his/her SO is having an affair. That's none of your (potential) employer's business. Even if they have a "right" to your information (which they don't IMO), they have no right to your that of your friend. That's accessing someone else's private information.

Social media are a multi-participant construct and if employers want access to my social media, they would need not just my agreement but also the agreement of every individual (human or corporate) who MIGHT communicate with me. Including the two dozen nice Nigerian bank officials who wants to give me $10,000,000.

[leftyohiolib]

2. it's an assault on your privacy - but they get away with b/c people will give it to them