Be careful of what you post to the Internet

Judge rules that public Twitter posts can be used against you in court and accessed without a search warrant. This ruling is sure to have far-reaching consequences for how online speech is treated under law. So, what you say publicly online, via a Facebook update, Tweet or other posting services can be accessed and used against you in court without the need for a search warrant.

"The Constitution gives you the right to post, but as numerous people have learned, there are still consequences for your public posts," wrote Sciarrino in his ruling. "What you give to the public belongs to the public. What you keep to yourself belongs only to you."

For most of you, this won't ever be of any concern, at least not in and of itself. However, if you are ever arrested or involved in a legal matter, or your Tweets or Facebook updates ever become of interest to the courts, this ruling means that law enforcement can gain access to them without a search warrant, even if you have deleted them.