Next time you find anything objectionable on Orkut, a social networking website by Google, you dont have to drag the portal to court or stage demonstrations.
Orkut has now placed the report bogus option on the home page of every community. If 1,000 users click to this option, the specific community is deleted permanently.
Orkut has done this after a group of software engineers based in Pune complained about the hate text on India in the website.
Sujit Shilimkar, one of the engineers, said, We were upset when an objectionable picture of Chhatrapati Shivaji was released on Orkut. We contacted Orkut and demanded that it delete the community permanently.
The site officials told us there is a provision to delete a specific community permanently if 1,000 users report any community as bogus. They agreed to bring the option to the home page, he said.
When we managed to get 1,000 users reporting the controversial Shivaji defaming community, surprisingly, Orkut eliminated that community permanently, Shilimkar added.
Shilimkar and his colleagues Ajay Ahidore, Abhay Shidore, Aditya Talekar and Madhukar Mazire have started a campaign to fight anti-India text published on Orkut.
Mazire said, We have started a campaign to restrict such messages on Orkut. Anybody can join us by just sending an e-mail at sujeetrshilamkar@yahoo.co.in.
How to report?
To report a community that you believe is illegal, just click the report a bogus button on the community page. When someone clicks this button, Orkut receives a notification. Orkut may remove content, which consists hate speech.
How it works?
It would be impossible for Orkut to keep up with all the new photos, community posts and changes to user profiles. When there is breach of conduct, Orkut relies on users to help maintain the community by notifying them through the report abuse button.
Hatred on Orkut
Defaming photograph of Chhatrapati Shivaji
A photo showing Indian tri-colour burning
A community called We hate India Court in action
The Bombay High Court recently ordered the police to ban Orkut in Mumbai after Subodh Balsaraf, a Thane resident, filed a public interest litigation against the portal. Also, the Aurangabad bench of the HC had ordered the state government to send a notice to Orkut for objectionable pictures of Shivaji.
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