Fourth amendment applying to social sites?

[Rachel]

If a detective would want to search a person's home they would have to have a warrant. Would they also have to have a warrant for the computer? Because if something was posted on a networking site, like Facebook or Twitter, would they have to get a search warrant from the site? I'm asking because I know Facebook owns everything you post so I'm not sure.

[scott b]

You answered your own question. Facebook owns it, so if they want to show it to them, they can. And, anything you post in a public forum like that is....public. So, no warrant would be required.

[Wade H]

In times of declared war war powers are conferred on the executive branch.

These have been interpreted to mean in the past that civil rights are waved for 5 years post a declared war.

Ron Reagan authorized the shooting of two game warden officials in 1980 in Maine for instance, when they interfered with his Presidential Rights to import illicit dope to help his neo-conserfatives both here and elsewhere get elected or re-elected, granted by War Powers by way of a signed and Congressional approved treaty with El Salvidor.

Now you might doubt this but I was one of those shot.

So there is literally no end to the bull that flies in War Time.

Nothing is safe from excesses.

[Quizzard]

Anything the police can access online they can view, record, etc. They would require a warrant to access private information, but if they can access it through another angle, such as a friend of a friend connection, that's legal.

You are correct that since the information is on the site's servers, they can release it voluntarily, and many will.

Assume if it's online, it is the same as putting it out on your front lawn for anyone to see.