Internet privacy bill clears House

By David Montero

| The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published Feb 21 2013 04:05 pm • Last Updated Feb 21 2013 11:11 pm

Employers and schools would not be able to request passwords or user names to social media accounts from workers or students in most circumstances under a bill passed by the Utah House on Wednesday.

The proposal, HB100, would allow employees and students to collect a fine of $500 if such a violation took place.

It was sponsored by Rep. Stewart Barlow, R-Fruit Heights, and passed 65-4 on its way to the Senate.

"I think this is a great example of where people ought to have some privacy in their social media networks," Barlow said. "I think it’s a necessary bill as we go forward into a new era of technology."

The measure does offer employers and schools protections if it is discovered the employee is taking proprietary information and disclosing it on a personal social media account or if the employer or school has given a personal account to the individual.

dmontero@sltrib.com

Twitter: @davemontero

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