This bill aims to enhance social media privacy for current and prospective students and employees of institutions of higher education in West Virginia. It introduces a new article, designated as 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 defines key terms such as "employee," "institution of higher education," "social media account," and "student," ensuring clarity in its application.

Furthermore, the bill protects individuals from retaliation by institutions for asserting their rights under this article. It explicitly states that institutions cannot take adverse actions, such as discharging or disciplining a student or employee, based on their refusal to comply with the aforementioned requirements. However, the bill does allow institutions to access publicly available information online and does not prevent compliance with federal or state laws. Overall, the legislation seeks to safeguard the privacy of individuals in the context of their social media accounts while engaging with higher education institutions.

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