Orkut: A social network or illicit network?

A Guest post by Shoby Awan

Most of the people who use internet are well aware of “Orkut” a social networking website.  But besides social networking this website is being used for immoral activities, which is a great threat to the future of our young generation.  I have been using Orkut for last 4 years and spent a lot of time on this website.  Amongst variety of people, I came across, some are really good and helpful and using this social network in positive manner and to help each other.  But some of them in fact most of them are using this portal in a wrong way.

Today these bad activities that I have been witnessing for a long time made me to write this article.  May be I’ll be able to draw net user’s attention towards this and may I could save someone’s life.  But let me share my experience and research on Orkut with you.

In past four years I have gone through many experiences on Orkut.  Initially I didn’t have much knowledge about this site.  Somehow I got an invitation through an email sent to me by a friend of mine and I created a profile.  I knew a few friends of mine who already had profiles there, so I added them and then I came to know that one can view others profile and add them as friends.

Soon I started visiting different communities and profiles.  I made some good friends on this who are still my friends and really helped me many ways.  But at the same time I had some very interesting friends in my list and of course those included female friends too.

Things got more interesting when I started browsing communicating and came to know that Orkut is used for different immoral and un-ethical activities. Especially, girls spread their cell numbers on their profiles or through emails.  Then they ask for cards from boys and make fun with them on phone.

Interesting part is that some of those boys can’t talk with them even after giving cards.  I asked one girl how much cards she gets in a day and I was surprised when she told me that she gets the cards worth of almost Rs. 2,000 in a day.  Just imagine if a girl is getting Rs. 2,000 balance in a single day for only 2-3 hours, how much she is getting per month? (terrible).

That is one scenario of looting people the other way is girls make friendship with boys and then after some days ask for some money like Rs. 2,000 to 5,000.  Some people don’t think and give money to them.  They even don’t show their selves.  They do it in a very organized manner; even I tried to catch them with the help of my friend but could not do so.

That was one aspect of Orkut.  Let me tell you another way.  That is more horrible and dangerous for our innocent and young generation.  There are certain communities those are totally immoral and leading our youngster to the ignorance and they are going far away from religion.  In these communities they discuss freely about sexual relationships and even develop immoral relationships with each other even with the same gender which is very disgusting.  These Orkut users have complete clubs and organizations (virtual).  The worst part of this is, that sometimes these boys trap the girls and make physical relations, take pictures or make videos.  Then blackmail those and use them for their needs.

This is not the end yet.  Orkut is a huge source of pornography and vulgarity. Here people upload the vulgar pictures and videos to attract the young ones.  There is no restriction for such kind of pictures and videos.

This site also has no picture protection and some criminal minded member grab pictures of others and create fake profiles which is another threatening and alarming thing for all of us.

When I see all this on Orkut and a thought comes in my mind that where are we going?  What nation we are representing?  Is this the image we should have?  I don’t find any answer for all these questions but I want to advise all of you that please, do something to protect our future, our children, our sisters and daughters.  We still have the time to save our youngsters, but soon it will be very difficult for us to control all this.  Please be the first ones to spread awareness of these threats. Share your ideas and thoughts to stop this.

Thanks,

Shoby!