The concept of legislatively limiting employer access to employee social media traffic is gaining traction. Legislators in Georgia, Montana and North Dakota are considering bills similar to the one already adopted by the Illinois legislature. The bills would restrict employers from researching social media sights as a means of gaining additional insights about employees and/or employee candidates. More information about the potential laws is available here.
Are these bills innovative or are they just a natural extension of the HR workplace rules that prohibit, say, asking a candidate is she is pregnant?