Bill Aims to Protect Employees’ Social Media Passwords
By Matt O'Hern // December 8, 2013
BILL SEEKS TO PROTECT EMPLOYEE PRIVACY
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — A bill filed for Florida’s 2014 legislative session in Tallahassee aims to block bosses from requesting or requiring their employees social media passwords.
Known as the Social Media Privacy bill, SB 198 was introduced by Florida State Senator Jack Latvala and Jeff Clemens; the bill’s summary reads:
“Prohibiting an employer from requesting or requiring access to a social media account of an employee or prospective employee; prohibiting an employer from taking retaliatory personnel action for an employee’s failure to provide access to his or her social media account; prohibiting an employer from failing or refusing to hire a prospective employee who does not provide access to his or her social media account, etc.”
How Does the Bill Define Social Media?
“Social media account” means an interactive personal account or profile that an individual establishes and uses through an electronic application, service, or platform used to generate or store content, including, but not limited to, videos, still photographs, blogs, video blogs, instant messages, audio recordings, or e-mail that is not available to the general public.
What are your thoughts on this bill potentially becoming a new law? Comment below.
