Posts Tagged ‘ Jerry Brown ’

Update: California Law Protects Facebook Passwords from Employers

September 28th, 2012. By AbiK

Remember that uproar not so long ago about employers asking for social media passwords? The story got a lot of press as job seekers in particular feared being caught between a rock and a hard place if a potential employer were to ask for their Facebook password. A dicey situation at best—and a privacy violation at worst.

Well, now we have some good news: California has signed two new laws relating to social media privacy protection. The first prohibits employers from asking current employees and/or job applicants for social media passwords in an attempt to get insight about the individual via social media snooping.

The second law covers off the same for current and prospective college students and student athletes at universities.

According to a Reuters report (9/27/12), California employers will now be barred from firing or taking disciplinary action against anyone who refuses to give up information related to their social media accounts.

The Reuters article goes on to share this statement from Governor Jerry Brown: “The Golden State is pioneering the social media revolution and these laws will protect all Californians from unwarranted invasions of their personal social media accounts.”

The new California social media password laws go into effect January 1, 2013.

Tags: California Law, Facebook Privacy, Jerry Brown, Online Passwords, Online Privacy, Social Media
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