A California senator is seeking to block employers from requesting social network login information as part of the job application process.
Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, announced today that he plans to introduce legislation to ban demands for usernames and passwords from job seekers and current employees, saying content on sites like Facebook and Twitter, such as personal photos and calendars, "have no bearing on a person's ability to do their job and therefore employers have no right to demand to review it."
"It is completely unacceptable for an employer to invade someone's personal social media accounts," Yee said in a statement. "Not only is it entirely unnecessary, it is an invasion of privacy and unrelated to one's work performance or abilities."
While it is unclear how common such requests are in California, questions about legal and privacy concerns have emerged as some companies and government agencies increase their scrutiny of candidates' social media presences. A recent report by the Associated Press detailed examples of the requests in states across the country.
Yee's bill, which has yet to be formally drafted, would also prohibit employers from asking the applicant or employee to voluntarily show them their social media accounts. Legislation on the topic has also been introduced in Illinois and Maryland, according to the Associated Press.
Assemblywoman Nora Campos, D-San Jose, introduced a similar proposal earlier this year. That bill, A.B. 1844, is scheduled to be heard by the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee on April 18.
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Editor's note: This post was updated at 12:36 p.m. to include the Campos bill.
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