Comments:"My boss wants my Facebook password? | The Stream - Al Jazeera English"
URL:http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201304302238-0022716
Apr 30
Web Only
Image via Flickr user qiaomeng. [Creative Commons]
Employees in Illinois may soon face a whole new level of digital scrutiny, if the US state passes a proposed law to give employers legal access to their workers' social media accounts.
The state's House of Representatives passed the bill on April 19 by a 68-36 margin, sending it to the state Senate for the final vote. Though the law would allow workers to deny their employers' request for access, many cautioned that employees could feel pressured to comply.
The bill was met with outrage online:
[View the story "My boss wants my Facebook password?" on Storify]My boss wants my Facebook password?Illinois moves to legalise employers' access to workers' accounts.Storified by The Stream· Tue, Apr 30 2013 12:50:55Well I won't be working in Illinois any time soon. Allow employers access to my social media? Yeah, I'll pass. fb.me/2CyP0ogLsmelkoreSerfdom coming to a state near you. You only stand to lose any rights to privacy, but if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear.techdirt.comI don't even see how it would be helpful. I don't care what you did last weekend, I care how you perform at work on Monday.techdirt.comSome discussed the bill's idea that monitoring online activity could prevent workplace violence.@liberationtech Many ppl ignore warnings of violence even if broadcast on FB anyway; this seems more about controlling employees 24/7.TLFK@Liberationtech Yes. Was also thinking of controlling their "brand", meaning anything u do in ur personal life is now under org's control.TLFKThe state previously passed a law that barred employers from requesting social media accounts access for job applicants. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn highlighted the importance of the law in protecting privacy rights."We're dealing with 21st-century issues," Quinn said. "... Privacy is a fundamental right. I believe that and I think we need to fight for that."huffingtonpost.comOther US states have passed measures banning employers from requesting employee passwords. But some cautioned that the lack of attention paid to workers' online privacy might result in measures similar to Illinois' spreading across the country. @cs4colorado #Privacy needs to be preserved in all 50 states. It's insane what all these subversive groups are doing and getting away withRima Regas