News Summary: Twitter rants can lead to jail in UK
SOCIAL MEDIA RISK: In Britain, hundreds of people are prosecuted each year for posts, tweets, texts and emails deemed menacing, indecent, offensive or obscene, and the number is growing as online lives expand.
WHAT'S THE ISSUE: Lawyers say the mounting tally shows the problems of a legal system trying to regulate 21st century communications with 20th century laws.
TALK BACK: Civil libertarians say the prosecutions are a threat to free speech in an age when the Internet gives everyone the power to be heard around the world.
