U.S. companies will now be able to post their earnings onTwitter or update their status on Facebook as long as investorshave been told in advance where to look.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued guidanceyesterday permitting companies to use social media sites includingFacebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. to communicate companyannouncements. The guidance came as part of a report detailing itsinvestigation into Netflix Inc. Chief Executive Officer ReedHastings, who in July posted monthly viewership results on hisFacebook page rather than in an SEC filing or news release.

The SEC refrained from bringing an enforcement action againstHastings or Netflix, which runs a subscription service for watchingtelevision programs and movies, because rules around using socialmedia for company disclosures had been unclear, the agencysaid.