Twitter made the controversial announcement in its blog by stating it could “reactively withhold content from users in a specific country.” Until now, if Twitter made the decision to delete a tweet it would be removed from global Twitter feeds, however from today forward content can be removed from selected countries only.

Twitter is in the process of expanding its global business and explained that its international growth meant entering countries “that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression.”

“Starting today, we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country - while keeping it available in the rest of the world,” Twitter confirmed in its blog.

“We haven't yet used this ability, 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,” it added.

In light of this announcement, a lot of people have come forward to express their concern about the move, with many pointing out the adverse impact it would have on free speech. In recent years, Twitter, along with other social media websites have played a vital – if disputed – role in organising anything from the Arab Spring to the London riots in 2011.

Twitter has responded by saying it has to balance local laws with free speech. The micro-blogging website has acknowledged however, that some countries views differ so much from its own that it will be unable to exist there.