POTTSVILLE -- Free speech is still free even if it's posted on Facebook. That's what the Supreme Court decided in a ruling Monday.
The justices ruled in favor of a Pennsylvania man who posted threatening messages on the social media site about his ex-wife.
This is the first time the Supreme Court has dealt with a case involving with free speech and social media, and the ruling says what you post online is protected by the First Amendment.
Anthony Elonis of Bethlehem was convicted in 2010 of making violent threats about his ex-wife on Facebook.
One post said, "Fold up your PFA and put it in your pocket. Is it thick enough to stop a bullet?"
But the Supreme Court says the post alone wasn't enough to convict him of a crime and overturned the ruling.
Even with the ruling, people say there should still be some sort of regulation on what you can say online.
"There needs to be laws with the computer, too, and social media. It's bad. I really do think it's bad," said Amy Hubler of Pottsville.
Some say people have the right to say or post about how they feel. Others think people need to use discretion since there are millions of people of all ages who can see the posts.
"My nieces and nephews are on Facebook. A lot of the kids I know are on Facebook," said Jacqueline Hall of Minersville.
Police officers in Schuylkill County say they always get calls about something posted on social media.
"Every day we deal with issues on Facebook."
The Minersville police chief says posting on Facebook is similar to posting on a bathroom wall. One person or even 100 could see it, but it doesn't mean it's true.
"People need to understand what it is. It's a form of social media. It's not factual. It's not gossip," said Minersville Police Chief Michael Combs.
Chief Combs says the Supreme Court ruling doesn't change how you charge someone with a crime. Posting something violent on social media could be a starting point, but just because you say it doesn't mean you'll do it. And that's the difference between a threat and free speech.
"Unless someone takes an action to carry through on that threat, there's really nothing we can do about it."
The Minersville police chief says the Anthony Elonis case happened five years ago and that law enforcement know a lot more now about how to deal with social media and what's posted.
