Twitter – the ubiquitous social media website that permits registered users to send out messages (or “tweets”) of up to 140 characters to “followers” who subscribe to the users’ accounts – has become impossible to ignore. With its instantaneous distribution and growing user base (estimated at 60 million users as of January 2010), Twitter is an important part of any online marketing strategy and an excellent way to reach clients, customers, employees, and anyone else with an interest in your company and its business. Although companies ignore Twitter at their own peril, there are important legal considerations of which you should be aware when your company and its employees use Twitter. The following are a few tips for maximizing Twitter’s value to your company while protecting its reputation and proprietary rights.