Rep. Welch Cosponsoring Bill to Protect Employee Privacy on Soci - FOX44 - Burlington / Plattsburgh News, Weather & Sports

Rep. Welch Cosponsoring Bill to Protect Employee Privacy on Social Media Sites

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WASHINGTON -

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) is cosponsoring a bill, Geolocation, Privacy and Security (GPS) Act (H.R. 2168), Tuesday to protect employee privacy on social media websites.

According to a press release, the legislation is designed to prevent employers from requiring prospective or current employees to provide access to password-protected social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter.

"Employees have a legitimate expectation of privacy when using Facebook or Twitter. This legislation will prevent fishing expeditions into employees' private lives," Welch said. "While an employer may have a valid concern about the business impact of an employee's online activity, demanding passwords and unfettered access to private accounts is an over-the-top solution."

Welch wrote the bill with Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah).

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