Bill Seeks to Shield Students Social Media Info

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a bill that would forbid colleges and other educational institutions from requiring students to provide access to their social media accounts.

The proposed social media privacy law, scheduled to be considered by the state Senate Wednesday, bars any institution from asking or requiring an applicant or enrolled student to disclose a user name or password for a personal social media account.

Under the bill, a student could also not be prevented from participating in extracurricular activities if they refuse to disclose social media accounts or provide a list of contacts associated with those accounts.

Students who believe their privacy was violated could bring a civil action against an institution under the legislation, which has already been approved by the Legislature's Labor and Workforce Development Committee.