Twitter is increasing employing the “country-withheld content” tool to block particular tweets in spite of a pledge in 2012 to use the tool sparingly. The result is that countries are using the tool under the radar to block content that is offensive, an ever increasing list. (Gigaom, May 21, 2014, by Mathew Ingram)
Eva Galperin of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, May 21, 2014, concludes that Twitter has failed to stand up to countries demanding censorship particularly Russia and Pakistan, two countries without Twitter employees or assets so that the company could more easily to resist dumping political speech. Twitter still has a better record than Facebook or Google, but that is little comfort when the company previously stood out a a leader in protecting free expression.