U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has announced that she will be co-sponsoring federal legislation to prohibit an employer from requiring that a current or potential employee turn over the password to a Facebook or other private online account. In recent weeks, news reports have described instances around the country where employers have demanded the Facebook passwords of job applicants as part of the hiring process. The Password Protection Act would prohibit employers from coercing job applicants or current employees to provide access to their private online systems, including Facebook, e-mail and other online storage. “This is about the right to privacy,” said Klobuchar. “No person should be forced to reveal their private online communications just to get a job. This is another example of making sure our laws keep up with advances in technology and that fundamental values like the right to privacy are protected.”
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