OK Bill Could Keep Companies Out Of Employees Social Accounts

Oklahoma lawmakers are taking steps to protect individuals from their employers when it comes to social media accounts. A bill passed the house unanimously and the message is for businesses to stay out of personal accounts.

"There's always been kind of a gray area," said Social Media Expert Patrick Allmond. "Employers have always wanted to know more about our personal lives and what we're doing."

A proposed law passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives could outlaw companies from accessing your personal social media accounts.

"I don't believe that your employer needs to have access to that," said Senator Kyle Loveless, Republican from Oklahoma City. "In other states I know that it is an issue and as if in other states, it's going to be here and sometimes we lead, sometimes we follow, so we have to make sure that our people are taken care of."

Sen. Loveless is the Senate author of the bill and told News 9 he wants to make sure the same kind of request do not happen in Oklahoma but it may already be happening here. News 9 reached out on Facebook and asked about companies inquiring into personal social media accounts. One post read, "As an employer, I always ask to see someone's page before hiring. I am often amazed at what I see, like one person who posted about stealing a puppy from a shelter."

With so many different ways of doing business, Allmond said it will be important for lawmakers to tackle this issue because it won't go away.

"We need to have a definite boundary there and I need to have some private time where I can express my feelings and my thoughts," said Allmond. "I think it's great that we have this line and I think that line definitely need to be there so I'm very encouraged."

The bill is now in the Oklahoma Senate where Loveless said he will make minor changes to it after visiting with business owners.