OrkutGuy has spoken! We now have “community standards” on our favorite social network. I tip my hat to the Orkites for finally laying bare the criteria they have been using to regulate the system.
Regrettably, the standards are vague, fairly restrictive, and (at least to date) very selectively enforced. I had hoped Orkut would already have plans for this phase of the game…
Also, “an account can be terminated if it violates any of the following restrictions”? But I thought the ToS ensured that “[w]e may terminate your membership immediately at any time, for any reason. Once your membership terminates, you will have no right to use the orkut.com service.”
So I have no right to use the service after I’ve been deleted the first time, even if I get reinvited? Or does that mean something else? I want to be able to chat with friends and interesting strangers without the Sword of Damocles hanging over my head, and selective enforcement is my least favorite Sword of Damocles (right next to trying to enjoy a meal in the restaurant next to the laundromat while worrying about my vulnerable clothes in the dryer).
This, folks, is not “fun”.
Vague rules with selective enforcement are bad. Better than unstated rules with invisible enforcement, but still bad.
The lawyers seem to be spending their time elsewhere anyway. I didn’t memorize the ToS, but I’m pretty sure that there are some new things since the last time I looked. And man, that thing is airtight.
I think they’re more concerned about protecting themselves from the users than entering some kind of, say, service relationship with the users. Only trouble is, if you shield yourself from the users but send lightning bolts down at them too (however necessary that may be), you can’t foster a sense of trust.
Isn’t that what they want, a sense of trust?
Here’s the text of the “community standards”:
Part 1 2/27/2004 6:18 PM
An account can be terminated if it violates any of the following restrictions:
An account can only be created for a human being and can only be created by the person being depicted ??? i.e. Hunter Walk can???t create a Megan Smith account. (the user will be flagged to modify the account or delete it)
An account must have a valid name listed in the profile. A first OR last name can be abbreviated or shortened but not both. (the user will be flagged to modify the account or delete it)
Examples of acceptable names:
John S., Eric Jones, L. Smith
Examples of unacceptable names:
Marilyn Monroe, Agent Smith, Orkut Member, Mr. Bad, Mrs. L
The account was created by automated means or is being used by an automated system to perform actions such as creating accounts or communities. It is the responsibility of the orkut.com team to make this judgment based on the activity level of the account.
An account cannot contain (in the profile, testimonials, scrapbook entries, etc.) child pornography or material depicting bestiality or snuff. An account also cannot link to this material. An account cannot be used to submit community posts which contain child pornography or material depicting bestiality or snuff. A community post also cannot link to this material. These users will be immediately terminated
Accounts or communities which affect the general stability and/ or integrity of the system may be suspended or terminated until the issue can be addressed.
The account uploads, transmits or contains material that is hateful or contains offensive material based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
Part 2 2/27/2004 6:18 PM
An account can be flagged if it violates any of the following restrictions (by flagged we mean the user will be notified to change their behavior and that repeated violations will lead to their termination):
The profile picture for an account cannot contain children, pets, cartoons, celebrities, nudity, artwork or copyrighted images.
The photo album for an account cannot contain images of cartoons, celebrities, nudity, artwork or copyrighted images.
An account cannot be used to submit community posts which are purely commercial in nature, unless the community is intended for that purpose.
An account cannot be used to send messages to other orkut.com members that are purely commercial in nature, unless that information has been requested by the recipient(s).
Part 3 2/27/2004 6:18 PM
A community can be terminated if it violates any of the following restrictions:
A community name cannot contain profanity or material that is hateful or contains offensive material based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. The community itself cannot be used for activity that is hateful or contains offensive material based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
anonymous coward | 01-Mar-04 at 5:27 pm | Permalink
Weird, the “community standards” don’t mention the “anything to do with Huy Zing can be nuked at anytime” rule at all, but that seems to be invoked pretty damn often.
tukro | 02-Mar-04 at 5:13 am | Permalink
Funny, that.
Waider | 03-Mar-04 at 9:31 am | Permalink
Accounts or communities which affect the general stability and/ or integrity of the system may be suspended or terminated until the issue can be addressed.
Also, why the hell can’t I use a cartoon for my userpic? If it’s a copyright issue, that’s already covered by the prohibition on copyrighted images, but what if I drew a picture myself?