Our Town: Facebook Friend or Boss? Bill Would Protect Passwords from Employers

Our Town's Nick Powell spoke to Sen. Krueger about her bill to protect employees' private, personal passwords for online accounts from employers.

Big Brother wants your Facebook password. A spate of complaints regarding companies requiring applicants and employees to divulge login information for social media accounts has forced the hand of state Sen. Liz Krueger, who introduced legislation recently that would ban such practices. Krueger cited the obvious privacy concerns as well as liability issues for employers as the primary catalysts for the bill.

 

“Companies might think it’s fine for them to ask for the login information, but in fact you may be creating a legal minefield for the employers themselves,” said Krueger. “All of this ties into the new world that we’re living in. Now everything is online, so it becomes normal.”