SALEM, Ore. (KGW) -- Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that could increase privacy rights for social media users who are looking to keep their online life out of the hands of employers and educators.
Whether you use Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, Oregonians may soon win the right to tell employers and educators to leave their accounts alone.
House Bill 2654 would prohibit employers and educators from asking people to hand over their social media passwords. At today's hearing in Salem, not one person opposed the bill.
In addition to password privacy, the bill would also restrict people from requiring that you add them as friends on social media sites. That goes any site that offers up your personal information, information that would be illegal to ask for during an interview.
“It's unfortunate that we even have to have a bill like this,” says Senator Bruce Starr, a Republican from Hillsboro. “For me, it kinda is a situation where, we shouldn't have to pass a law like this, but unfortunately we do.”
Though there wasn't any opposition at the hearing today, a few lawmakers did voice concerns bbout how the bill could affect cases where an employer might need to investigate misconduct. For example, if an employee posted some sort of criminal threat on Facebook. The committee is looking to make a few amendments to the bill.
No action was taken today. There will likely be another public hearing before the committee takes a vote, and then the bill would move over to the senate.
