Twitter sharpens tool for censorship

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SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Twitter, which is based in the United States, said items on its Web site can now be selectively censored by country, rather than only network-wide.

"As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression," Twitter said in an online posting.

"Some differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there. Others are similar but, for historical or cultural reasons, restrict certain types of content, such as France or Germany, which ban pro-Nazi content," the company said.

Previously, Twitter could only censor content across the entire Web site, Twitter said Friday in its online blog.

Twitter said the capability to censor in specific countries had yet to be put to use.

"But if and when we are required to withhold a tweet in a specific country, we will attempt to let the user know and we will clearly mark when the content has been withheld," the blog posting said.