According to a recent study by St. Francis Xavier University, people felt more engaged and better informed about the judicial process during the Christopher Falconer murder trial, thanks to coverage on Twitter.

The first-degree murder trial and subsequent conviction of Falconer in January drew huge crowds to the courthouse in Pictou, N.S. each day.

Thousands of social media users also watched the events unfold on Twitter, as media live-tweeted court proceedings throughout the high-profile trial.

Margo Watt, a forensic psychologist and psychology professor at St. FX, conducted a survey of more than 500 people who followed the trial on Twitter from across Canada and three other countries.

“They resoundingly said that they felt more engaged. They felt they learned something over and above what other media were providing them,” says Watt. “They felt that they understood the process more.”

Most survey participants said they feel the criminal justice system is doing a good job, but many said they disagreed with the verdict.

“So they were less persuaded by the evidence. They weren’t so convinced that it was compelling,” says Watt. “They weren’t so convinced that he was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

New Twitter guidelines for Nova Scotia courts were introduced after the Falconer trial. In most courts, if the media is allowed to tweet the proceedings, then so is the public.

But officials say that could lead to potential problems.

“The danger of information that is protected by publication bans getting out because the nature of the technology is that once that information gets out, you can’t take it back,” says John Piccolo, spokesperson for the courts in Nova Scotia.

Those who followed the Falconer trial online say Twitter coverage can be addictive.

“The trial was so intense and there was so much going on that you just wanted to know, you know, constantly what was going on,” says student Alicia Silliker.

Ultimately, Watt says Twitter coverage in the courtroom appears to be a good thing, especially if it engages the public to participate and learn more about the justice system.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Dan MacIntosh