Twitter censorship

 One of the truly revolutionary ways in which the world has changed is the way in which ordinary people like us can use the the Internet, specifically social media, to fight against repressive regimes. For all it's lies and misuse the ability of people there to report what they see in real time changes news gathering and gives us the raw truth. 

Such empowerment undermines the vested old media and threatens governments. It is an amazing thing when one thinks about it. 

Of specific interest is the amazing way in which Twitter was used in the Arab Spring to allow people to fight against their dictators and abusers. Twitter helped brave people tell their truth and helped them overthrow their overlords. The way in which Twitter used new technology to allow such freedom, with special numbers to allow people to speak their Tweets, and and help overcoming draconian censorship earned Twitter well deserved praise and massively raised its already high image. 

I am therefore saddened to learn that Twitter is changing to allow national censorship of its members. 

Now the Internet isn't always nice and illegal activity abounds but I'm agianst this. If you are threatened with death or rape then you should have some legal protection but not such national censorship. Freedom is too important for this. 

It's a shame that Twitter seem to be putting thier own business interests before our freedom. Let's put it this way, China, Russia, and other states with unenviable human rights records are lucrative markets but wouldn't like the uncensored Twitter if it undemines them. 

So it makes business sense to stop people being rude by these regimes so that Twitter can operate in these untapped territories but it destroys all the kudos Twitter has earned during the Arab Spring. 

It's sad.