Michigan social media privacy law signed by governor

GlobalPost

Getting a hold of your social media login info just got a lot harder in Michigan.

Gov. Rick Snyder on Friday signed into law legislation that bans employers and schools from asking for workers' social media usernames and passwords, ABC News Radio reported.

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California and Maryland have enacted similar laws, and similar legislation has been introduced in Illinois.

Under the law, employers can't discipline or decline to hire someone for not giving them their social media logins, the Kalamazoo Gazette reported.

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Schools and universities can't discipline or fail to admit students if they don't give similar information.

The bills largely stem from news stories earlier this year claiming that some employers have started asking their employees for the passwords to their Facebook accounts.

The offense is now a misdemeanor in Michigan punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.

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