Scott Uses Facebook and Twitter to Announce Social Media Protection
On Facebook and Twitter, State Representative Darryl Scott (D – Dover) announced that he has introduced legislation that will not allow employers, potential employers or school officials to ask people for their social media login login and password information.
Today I filed legislation (HB 308 and 309) that would prohibit an employer from requiring or asking a job applicant or worker for their social networking (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) login and password information.
There have been stories of employers doing this during the job interview, which is an invasion of privacy and basically an ultimatum. More than a third of adult internet users have at least one social networking site, so this is not a small group of people potentially affected.
This is obviously a good bill – bravo!
However I think officials who want to communicate important public information online should remember that Facebook and Twitter are private companies. Use them if you want, but remember to also communicate with your constituents on the public Internet using the open methods like email and standard websites. Officals should not be reinforcing the notion that Facebook and Twitter ARE the Internet.
Now we need a bill prohibiting employers from asking for your Social Security number until they have extended you a legally binding job offer.
Jack up the penalties. They need to start at $100 k….
Simple fix – Facebook can provide an option that allows you to add a second question to the login, one that is already illegal for an employer to ask.
For example, after you enter your password, you are then prompted to enter your religion before logging you in. And it could even be a made-up word.
No legislation required.
And, @ puck, what would stop employers asking for that “secret” question?
The Constitution. If an employer asks for your religion, they’d be facing a civil lawsuit if you cared to pursue it. HR frowns on that sort of thing.
Laughing at puck.
Don’t get me started.
Your solution is to have a possibly unemployed person higher a lawyer to sue a company?!
That’s why I am laughing.
Nemski – that is how we enforce the Constitution in the United States.
I’m sure the ACLU or other civil rights group would pursue a test case all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. Once the precedent is set, any trial lawyer will take future cases for a sure win.
It only takes one high-profile lawsuit for every HR department in the land to send out a memo stopping the practice.
Or we pass things called laws.
Actually, I assume there is already precedent for suing companies who ask for your religion – that it the point of bringing your login under that existing protection.
“Or we pass things called laws.”
That works too – but my suggestion is unilateral action Facebook can take to protect its own interests, that doesn’t require waiting on wingnut red states (or our wingnut Congress) to pass those laws.
It’s called pro bono, Nemski. Many law firms encourage their associates to take on cases of interest even if the client may not be able to pay; partially out of good will, partially for a tax right-off.
There was legislation introduced in the House last week to prohibit employers from asking for social media passwords.
This is good, but we need a broader Right to Privacy that assumes that you always own your information and you have to give permission for all of its uses. Which is like closing the barn door after all of the livestock has run away, but still.