Mediaboss Marketing

Matthew Makowski FOX 17 Producer

5:16 p.m. EDT, May 29, 2012

LANSING, Mich.

Privacy is a big word when it comes to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Now, Michigan lawmakers are making strides to give employees and students more privacy when it comes to social networking sites.

The House Energy and Technology Committee took testimony on Tuesday on legislation that would create the Social Network Account Privacy Act. The bill would ban employers and schools from requesting that employees and students provide their passwords related to their social media accounts.

Employers would be prohibited from asking an employee or job aplicant for their user names, passwords or other access information. Educational institutions would face a similar ban related to students and prospective students. It would also be against the law for employers to discipline employees or fail to hire potential applicants for refusing access to their social media accounts.

The committee hasn't voted on the proposal, but could at a future meeting.

Representative Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, is sponsoring the bill. He views his proposal as a way to ensure a similar type of protection in an age where that information is often stored on computers or smart phones through social media accounts.

Some lawmakers, while mostly supporting the bill, want to explore the option of allowing law enforcement agencies to screen potential employees through social media sites as part of the proposed legislation.

The National Federation of Independent Business said the majority of its Michigan members would support a bill that bars access to workers' social media accounts. The Michigan of Commerce opposes the bill.

Continue reading here:
Proposed Bill Could Limit Access To Social Networking Passwords