Naamer, who publishes over at UAE community blog is asking that question.
Arvindsatya confirms this by saying:
Yep when I wrote to Etisalat when Orkut was first released, then went on about how it could potentially lead to dating like just about any other site with any sort of community.
If this is true, Samuraisam thinks it is a waste of time to try to convince the authorities that Orkut is a harmless site, although Crackingboy provides a technical reason why he thinks Orkut is blocked.
I am trying to verify this over at the UAE forum (as well as the other two) and will post an update here later on.
24 opinions:
Etisalat has infact blocked Orkut since last 3-4 days. There are still ways to access it if u know how???
This decision of banding orkut in uae was not satisfied. They could have find some other solution to it.
Its been very upsetting as Orkut has all my friends in various countries listed with ease. Cud not Etisalat jail or block those they find misusing the site? Why should good friendships and networks suffer? There needs to be a way out of this please.The cause is not justified, as evil-doers have thousands of other sites and chats on teh internet that is not blocked , so there cannot be any difference for their propoganda... PLEASE UNBLOCK ORKUT!!! I NEED MY FRINDS BACK!
etisalat has blocked orkut again, its really bad and one of their Hippocratic decisions. Thanks to orkut i could get in touch with lots of my old friends including my class 1 friends. I’ve been using orkut since more then 1 yr and I don’t think its so difficult for etisalat to block obscene material and objectionable profiles/communities on this site. guys any way to confront etisalat...
its really bad and one of their Hippocratic decisions. its devlish ..
Then how v contact our friends..
its not good 4 developing UAE,
its makes big conflicts..Cud not Etisalat jail or block those they find misusing the site?I’ve been using orkut since more then 1 yr and I don’t think its so difficult for etisalat to block obscene material and objectionable profiles/communities on this site. guys any way to confront etisalat...PLEASE UNBLOCK ORKUT!!! I NEED MY FRINDS BACK
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Orkut is a popular social networking medium, the access to which has been blocked in UAE. This post is about submitting feedback to etisalat, to try and get the ban lifted. Unfortunately, Etisalat offers access to the 'complaints' page to EIM users only. Click here, to go to the feedback page directly, without any need for the EIM user id.
Readers of the 'Gulf News' will remember that there were articles on how Orkut was 'allowing' some sexually explicit communities to thrive. Within two days, TRA intervened and the site was blocked (read article). As a result, thousands of users lost their medium of communicating and staying in touch with their peers. And as a side effect, some people who used to access Orkut for their daily porn, are resorting to other sources.
Let us make some points clear. Orkut doesn't allow objectionable content. Users can flag objectionable content, for the review of the Orkut team (read article). Orkut TOS specifically states International users should comply with the local rules. Further, UAE has cyberlaws which prohibit promoting erotic content and such activities. With all these options at hand, how is the ban justifiable?
That brings us to the big question - what can we do about this? Feedback? When we try to access orkut.com, we are given a feedback link. To register a complaint, we are greeted by a login page where an EIM userid and password is required - yet another example of intelligent design. What percent of the internet users in UAE will have an EIM user id and password?
Click on this feedback link, a workaround which will take you to the unblock request page, avoiding the login. I dont know how long this solution will 'work' though. Go ahead, register your complaint to unblock orkut.com giving valid reasons. As per Etisalat, customers can seek help to unblock sites by calling 8006100 or e-mailing help@eim.ae and cc watch@eim.ae. I tried 8006100, only to hear 'the number you have dialled is not in service'.
Next Action, prove that there are a number of people who sees the ban illogical. It would be great if the blogging community could take up this cause. Please pass the message to like minded friends.
it has been very ridiculos wat etisalat did to the decent users of ORKUT.lets hope for a change
hey wat they will get by banding orkut all assholes wat they thik of them selves well they are frm islam now they i think not aware wat is happening in pakistan)LAL MASJID) they will suffer to by applying all these nonsesce laws .
ma mail ---sam.samier@gmail.com
i met all my friends after a long years and i lost them again. i dont know why the site has been blocked in uae. advice for the etisalat what i give is if you want to block then block only the umwanted communities.
hey friends dnt be sad v can access orkut in uae with www.pagemod.com .i tried it and its working...
u frnds try it n njoyyy
shahna shamsudeen
Today pagemod.com got blocked ..sharing with you there new domain
http://www.pmoder.info
Hi Allz..
Any 1 Knws a permanent way to access blocked websites .. these phpProxy sites will be blocked one after the other ..wen etisalat will see the traffic moving out here.. i tried using proxies .. but didnt work dunu was due to the router or wht .. any other idea???..
if any 1 of u have a working phpproxy script do let me knw i've got 2-3 web hosting servers will add them there..
PAGEmod new domain : http://www.qmoder.info
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.
I use middlesurf software and i'm happy with the software you can download it on http://www.middlesurf.com
have fun
Sara
I CANT UNDERSTAND.
okay if they feel tht in orkut sexual communites are there,then fine block the community an album section . juss keep the scraps section unblocked , we juss want to scrap our friends an be in touch wid them through scraps , whts harm in it .
plzzzzzzzzzzz a humble request ,dont do this unblock orkut.
i want to do orkut in uae
Etisalat servises are not wise. they gave a perfect Example by banning the only social site called ORKUT. why only ORKUT???
Any latest tricks to get access to Orkut. Nothin seems to b working now.
Such a disgrace!!!!... Etisalat is minting enough money by blocking VOIP... I wonder why they are blocking Orkut!!!!
unblock orkut in uae .very easy and 100% secure way and legal
There is no way you could enter the site orkut .
Etisalat could have blocked the bad things in Orkut but no they want to play a game with people avoiding them to communicate with there loved ones . They are so rude to humanity!
and what about the other bad sites that have an easy access .Is this the fair thing U.A.E is doing to us?
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Welcome to Inside Orkut, the unofficial blog to Orkut.com, a social network by Google.
Feel free to post your opinions and questions below, or just email me or scrap me if Orkut is your style.
Cheers!