BOSTON — The state Senate has unanimously passed a bill aimed at protecting the personal social media accounts of students and employees across Massachusetts. The bill was supported by Sen. Anne Gobi.
The legislation prevents employers and schools from requesting and requiring access to the personal social media accounts of applicants, employees and students as a condition of acceptance, employment or participation in school activities.
“Social media has become both a blessing and a curse,” said Gobi, “It is important that the laws evolve to reflect growing areas of online presence.”
“As social media users reveal more and more about themselves, it is important that we enact privacy protections,” said Sen. President Harriette L. Chandler, D-Worcester. “While users must remain aware of how much information they divulge, it is also imperative that privacy protections be implemented and enforced to ensure that information contained on a social media account is not abused.”
More than 25 states have already enacted legislation addressing this issue, and bills on this topic are pending in many other jurisdictions. This is the third session in which the Senate has voted favorably on this bill.
The legislation now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.