(a) Public and private postsecondary educational institutions, and their employees and representatives, shall not require or request a student, prospective student, or student group to do any of the following:

(1) Disclose a user name or password for accessing personal social media.

Terms Used In California Education Code 99121

  • social media: means an electronic service or account, or electronic content, including, but not limited to, videos or still photographs, blogs, video blogs, podcasts, instant and text messages, email, online services or accounts, or Internet Web site profiles or locations. See California Education Code 99120

(2) Access personal social media in the presence of the institution’s employee or representative.

(3) Divulge any personal social media information.

(b) A public or private postsecondary educational institution shall not suspend, expel, discipline, threaten to take any of those actions, or otherwise penalize a student, prospective student, or student group in any way for refusing to comply with a request or demand that violates this section.

(c) This section shall not do either of the following:

(1) Affect a public or private postsecondary educational institution’s existing rights and obligations to protect against and investigate alleged student misconduct or violations of applicable laws and regulations.

(2) Prohibit a public or private postsecondary educational institution from taking any adverse action against a student, prospective student, or student group for any lawful reason.

(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 619, Sec. 2. (SB 1349) Effective January 1, 2013.)

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