BERLIN, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The German Cabinet approved a proposed privacy law barring employers from scrutinizing social network Web sites as they screen perspective job candidates.
The law, which now goes to members of Parliament for a debate and a vote, would allow employers to search for information through job-hunting Web sites, but would prohibit similar searches on Facebook, The New York Times reported Thursday.
Videotaping employees without their knowledge also would be banned by the proposed law.
The law, if it passes a parliamentary vote, is "a substantial improvement on the status quo in dealing with employees' data," said Peter Schaar, German commissioner for data protection and freedom of information.
A Facebook spokeswoman in Paris, Sarah Roy, would not comment on the bill, but explained that Facebook users already have options to limit how much others can see of their personal information.
