Court case highlights impact of social networking

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - What you post online can be used against you in court. The Indiana Supreme Court has upheld a previous ruling that allowed the MySpace posting of a convicted killer to be used as evidence against him in his 2008 trial.

According to the Supreme Court decision, Ian Clark was essentially bragging about getting away with the murder of his fiancée’s two-year-old girl. Prosecutors saw the post and used it against him.

"I don't think he realized that the statements he made could be used against him as bad character," said IUPUI Law Professor Henry Karlson.

This isn't the first time a statement on a social networking site has lead to trouble. In Connecticut, a teenager was just arrested this week for threatening, via Facebook, to shoot up his school.

And just because a user deletes a post, doesn't mean it's gone for good.

WISH-TV computer expert Brian Renollet said, "It could be on a Web site forever. The rule of thumb used to always be don't post anything you don't want your mom or dad to see. So if you don't want something out there forever, don't post it in the first place."

Renollet said as sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter gain in popularity with the general public, they've also become a valuable tool with police, prosecutors and school districts in providing proof of crimes, violent threats and cyber-bullying.

"At some point in your life it's going to come back to haunt you," Karlson said.

Negative posts can also get you in trouble with employers. Karlson said a lot of bosses won't hire you if they find questionable photos or messages online.