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Orkut, now you have it, now you don't

DUBAI — Briefly but pleasantly, the banned social networking web site, Orkut, was accessible to several users yesterday morning.

However, the UAE Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) was quick to take action and block the web site within hours after Khaleej Times contacted it for comments.

Orkut, a popular web site was banned in the UAE last year following reports that the site contained sexually explicit material and was being used for "immoral activities".

Explaining the technicality before the web site was blocked yesterday, a TRA spokesperson said apparently the web site was accessible in the UAE because it was channelled through the popular search engine, Google, which owns the web site.

Expressing his apprehension, the spokesperson said, "Our technical team is looking into the matter. The web site is now integrated with Google which makes it difficult to block. We cannot block the search engine to block the site."

However, within hours, the TRA had found a solution and re-blocked the web site. "The site was banned a year ago after complaints of misuse. We carried out an investigation and found that the complaints were true. Since then, the ban is in place and will remain until any further decision is taken in this regard," explained the spokesperson.

Google executives were not available for comment yesterday. However, in statements issued earlier, they have said they will try and negotiate with the UAE authorities on unblocking the web site which, they claim, has been designed to reunite old friends, and help users keep in touch and meet new friends.

Meanwhile, according to several users, they were pleasantly surprised to be able to access the web site, albeit with a different interface.

"I gladly told all my friends that the TRA had lifted the ban on Orkut. But by afternoon, the same message of the web site being blocked was seen," said a Maureen P., a disappointed user.

"There was a message 'do not log-on on a public computer' on the log-on page which was not there in the earlier site. I could access the site but had to log in using my Google account," said Farid Khan.

Another user, Simi S., said, "I had just started typing out a message to all my friends on the web site telling them that the site was accessible now and we could stay in touch. Only a short while later, I found out that the site was blocked again."