Gov. Hochul bans employers from accessing social media accounts

Prior to this ban, employers had the right to ask for private social media accounts. Fox 5 NY's Linda Schmidt reports.

NEW YORK - "I think it's good to have your personal kind of content personal." And that's exactly what Governor Hochul thinks.

So, she has signed a new law that will prevent your boss or a prospective boss from asking for access to your locked or personal social media accounts.

Believe it or not, up until now, bosses had the right to ask for it.

"Both current employers and potential employers, were demanding information from people… whether it was log-in information, usernames, ways to get into your accounts because they wanted to look into your background," explained New York State Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz of the Bronx, who wrote the bill banning the practice.

Employers are allowed to check out your public social media accounts, just like anyone else can, but they are no longer allowed to ask you to show them your private or locked accounts.

"I think this is long overdue," said David Lewis, the CEO of OperationsInc, a human resource consulting firm. "What's in the public domain for employees, and for that matter, candidates, is fair game. What's in the private domain is just that, it's private."

Here's what some New Yorkers have to say:

"It's good they're putting some protections on that."
"I think access should only be to my public accounts."
"If you feel as though I'm hiding something, don't hire me."

The new law banning employers from asking for access to your private and locked accounts takes effect in about six months.