Wednesday, 07 January 2009
updated 1 minute ago
21:27 UAE time

YOUR DIRECTORY /

Social network site banned in UAE

by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Thursday, 05 July 2007

zoom

The Emirates' media watchdog on Tuesday ordered social networking website Orkut.com to be shut down.

Social networking website Facebook could be in for a ban in the UAE following the government's decision to block Orkut.com.

Most internet users in the UAE have been denied access to Orkut, following reports that the site contains sexually explicit material and is being used for 'immoral activities'.

But popular social networking website Facebook is not blocked in the UAE, despite the site being littered with groups and discussion boards about sex.

Story continues below ↓

Graphic images and descriptions are freely available to view on many of the site’s pages, with surfers encouraged to join in by adding pictures and comments. Some sexually explicit material is found under the UAE 'network' on the site. The majority of the members of this 'network' are likely to live in the UAE.

The UAE also has a ban on social networking websites flicker and Hi5, and only recently lifted a ban MySpace and video-sharing site YouTube.

The Emirates' monopoly internet service provider Etisalat banned Orkut.com on Tuesday upon orders from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

The TRA issued a formal letter to the UAE's internet service providers to block the site after receiving complaints - flagged by the UAE's Gulf News newspaper - that the site posted ‘objectionable' material.

Google-owned Orkut claims to be designed to reunite old friends, and help users keep in touch and meet new friends.

However recent reports have claimed that thousands of users in the UAE were joining sexually explicit communities which some say are plentiful on the website.

Google executives have said they will try and negotiate with UAE authorities after they blocked the website.

"We're disappointed that Orkut is being blocked because it's a great way for people to meet, socialise and share interests. We will be reaching out to the authorities to try to resolve this," a Google spokesperson told Gulf News.

The move has fueled speculation among UAE internet-users and fans of popular social sites as to whether networking giant Facebook - the second most visited such website and with 28 million members worldwide - is next in line to get the axe.

The TRA was not immediately available for comment.

READERS' COMMENTS

UAE blocks social networking websites
Posted by Ron Callari, Jersey City, NJ, USA on Tuesday 15 July 2008 at 01:08 UAE time

What is most disturbing to me personally is that a social networking website that I built on July 13, 2008 was censored in the UAE the following day, on July 14, 2008. The Hotel SEO Executives is a group that tallies only 20 members to date. It is a network of hoteliers and SEO executives worldwide that collaboratively exchange ideas and information pertaining to search engine optimization in the hotel industry. Hardly a threatening group! Definitely not an organization that would harm “the religious, cultural, political and moral values of the United Arab Emirates!” But yet a Hyatt Dubai hotel executive was blocked by Etisalat from registering on just that site.

Ban on social networking sites
Posted by Shafqat Nabi, Dubai, UAE on Thursday 12 July 2007 at 18:00 UAE time

If the media needs some content, it should raise the issue of late night encounters. Please spare these social networking sites which has lots of pluses.

boo
Posted by jendy on Wednesday 11 July 2007 at 13:00 UAE time

the uae wants to have its cake and eat it too ... don't they know that's not possible? it's so sad to see how many people are disappointed and rue the day they came here. for a place that a few short years ago had so much promise, the uae has done everything it can to live up to nothing. pretty soon, there will only be two classes of people here: the mega-rich and the mega-poor .... and that's an obvious recipe for disaster.

Site blocking
Posted by Luke, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 10 July 2007 at 17:00 UAE time

Orkut was blocked right after gulf news covered this in a story claiming adult material could be found on the Orkut's website if you searched for 'Dubai Sex'.

And now you are running an article also claiming that facebook contains graphic adult images. A statement of 'Facebook could be in for a ban in the UAE' will now become a self fulfilling prophecy as the TRA will feel compelled to block facebook after media attention as above.

I find the whole enforced proxy situation ridiculous. I would fully endorse and support a proxy for people who cannot control their urges to resist adult material or more important families who have children who use computers. But enforcing this draconian practice unto adults whom can benefit from social networking as a means to stay in contact with friends, family and business connections is ludicrous.

This is one of the main reasons I am leaving Dubai - It's 25 years behind the rest of the world in technology.

Still keeping in the tradition of things, I doubt my comment will even be approved.

View all comments (13) >>

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.

Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country

Subject *

Comment *


Notify me of further comments
Security Code *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.