The proposed bill aims to enhance social media privacy for current and prospective students and employees of institutions of higher education in West Virginia. It establishes a new article, designated 18B-22-1, which prohibits these institutions from requiring individuals to disclose their social media usernames or passwords, or to change their privacy settings as a condition for participation in curricular or extracurricular activities. Additionally, the bill forbids institutions from taking punitive actions against individuals who assert their rights under this article, such as threats of discharge or disciplinary measures.

The bill defines key terms such as "employee," "institution of higher education," "social media account," and "student," and clarifies that institutions may not penalize individuals for exercising their rights related to social media privacy. It also allows institutions to view publicly available information online and does not prevent compliance with federal or state laws. Overall, the legislation seeks to protect the privacy of individuals in the context of their social media accounts while engaging with educational institutions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18B-22-1