The iron lady of Asia – none other than Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, recently filed on Wednesday a bill that seeks to protect the privacy of employees and applicants by prohibiting employers to access the former’s social media accounts.
The Senate Bill No. 2681 which aims to “bar employers from compelling employees or even applicants to divulge passwords for online accounts such as Facebook and Twitter” ensures that granting of access to personal accounts will not be part of hiring requirements.
This bill also takes effect to “all online accounts which allow users to create, share, and view user-generated content, including photos, blogs, videos, audio recordings, instant messages, electronic mail, or other information.”
Under Santiago’s proposed law, employers cannot:
(1) Require or request employees or applicants to disclose passwords. Or other credentials that may be use to access their online accounts;
(2) Compel employees or applicants to add the employer or an employment agency to their list of contacts associated with a social media website; and
(3) Compel employees or applicants to access a personal social media account in the presence of the employer, so that the employer may view the contents of the personal social media account.
Santiago noted that employees who refuse to grant access to their personal accounts should also not be punished for protecting their own privacy.
“Most people have social media accounts for sharing personal insights and storing personal information. They deserve the same statutory protection against invasion and abuse of their privacy on the internet and social media,” Santiago said.
This new bill is just one of the 1,007 bills and resolutions Santiago has filed by end of 2014.
Check the official press release published.
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