Can an employer require me to provide my social media passwords?

What the Law Says

New York law explicitly bans employers from asking for or requiring employees or job applicants to disclose their social media usernames, passwords, or other means of accessing private accounts.

Under New York Labor Law § 203-f, it is illegal for an employer to request or require any employee or prospective employee to provide their username, password, or other means of accessing a personal online account — including social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), or private email accounts.

The law also prohibits employers from retaliating against someone who refuses such a request — for example, by refusing to hire, firing, disciplining, or threatening adverse action. It applies to both current employees and job applicants.

Importantly, the law does not prevent employers from viewing publicly available information, nor does it stop them from investigating workplace misconduct using lawful methods — as long as they don’t demand login credentials or force access to private content.

Statutory Text

No employer shall request or require any employee or prospective employee to provide the employer with the employee's or prospective employee's username, password or other means of accessing a personal online account.

— N.Y. Labor Law § 203-f(1)(a) — Prohibition on requesting access to personal online accounts

Statutory Text

Any employer who violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than five hundred dollars and not more than one thousand dollars for each violation.

— N.Y. Labor Law § 203-f(4) — Civil penalty

What to Do

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