Bill filed to stop employers from accessing employee’s social media accounts

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago has recently filed Senate Bill No. 2681 which seeks to “bar employers from compelling employees or even applicants to divulge their passwords for online accounts such as Facebook and Twitter.”

This also applies to “all online accounts which allow users to create, share, and view user-generated content, including photos, blogs, videos, audio recordings, instant messages, electronic mail, or other information.”

Under the proposed law, employers cannot:

(1) Require or request employees or applicants to disclose passwords or other credentials that may be used to access their online accounts;

(2) Compel employees or applicants to add the employer or an employment agency to their list of contacts associated with a social media website; and

(3) Compel employees or applicants to access a personal social media account in the presence of the employer, so that the employer may view the contents of the personal social media account.

In addition, it also protects employees from being punished if they refuse to grant their employers access to their social media accounts. It also ensures that granting access to personal accounts will not be part of hiring requirements.

“Most people have social media accounts for sharing personal insights and storing personal information. They deserve the same statutory protection against invasion and abuse of their privacy on the internet and social media,” Sen. Santiago said.

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