Maryland Law to Prevent Employers from Seeking Social Network Passwords

By Karla Robinson
April 11, 2012

A bill banning employers from asking for social media passwords is sitting on the desk of Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.
After passing unanimously through the state Senate and by a 128-10 vote in the House, the bill could go into effect with the governor’s approval.
The proposed bill is in response to recent reports of employers requesting that job applicants submit their passwords to Facebook and other social networks.
Facebook was quick to denounce the practice and a number of states began drafting bills in opposition.
“While Maryland is the first state to pass such legislation, it likely won’t be the only one for long — Illinois and California have both introduced similar pieces of legislation, and senators from New York and Connecticut have both asked the U.S. Attorney General to prohibit this practice,” The Verge reports.

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