Twitter announced Thursday that it can now censor tweets only in some countries, whereas before a message would disappear throughout the world if the operators erased it. The flexibility might be welcomed by users in nations with more of a commitment to free speech, but it could also be a sign that Twitter might be giving in to more repressive states, especially as the company expands globally.

Update: There's already a petition circulating asking Twitter to denounce censorship. You can view it online here.