NJ OKs Social Media Privacy Law

What happens on Facebook stays on Facebook. 

Well, mostly, as long as your privacy settings are up to par.

A bill signed into law by Gov. Christie last week blocks employers from asking their employees for their usernames and passwords on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. 

Gov. Christie last Thursday signed the legislation, which also bars universities from requiring login info. 

A national movement has emerged following a rising trend in businesses demanding access to Facebook log-in information on job applications.

Potential employers can still engage in professional reconnaissance online, however, provided your social media activity is public

According to the National Law Review there are some caveats for businesses built into the new law, including the preservation of the right of businesses to ask about social media accounts and review public social media content, and permitting “employers to obtain access to personal social media accounts to ensure legal/regulatory compliance, to investigate work-related employee misconduct, or to investigate potential disclosures of the employer's proprietary, confidential, or financial information.”

The new law is set to go into effect on December 1.

Does the New Jersey's social media privacy law go far enough to protect residents of the Garden State? Does it go too far?