Orkut’s Most Awaited Scrapbook Privacy Feature is Out!

4 Dec, 2007 Orkut | by Rahul Bansal (416)

Have you ever abused by some stranger on orkut via your scrapbook? Most girls will reply yes to this as at some point of time they faced abuse my some stranger! All you could do to save yourself from such stranger is to got to their profile and add them to your ignore list so that they wont we able to write a scrap in your scrapbook or send you a friend request.

But there is a problem with above blocking! Scrapbook is was public and so if some one put bad word in it it happens to be there until you log in and delete such offensive scarp. This was embarrassing particularly to the people who do not use orkut so frequently. So all you wished was a way so that you can hide your scrapbook from stranger! Well this is what orkut is giving you now…

Just go to privacy settings page..

# To prevent strangers scrapping you…

Just select "friends" from drop-down box next to "allow scraps to be written by" setting!

# To hide scrapbook, album, videos, testimonials, feeds from strangers…

Similarly under "allow content to be viewed by" settings you can restrict who can view your scrapbook, album, videos, testimonials & feeds. So you may not need anymore our scrapbook cleaner script to delete all your scraps!

# To restrict friends also!!!

You have following options..

Do not open an orkut account
Delete your orkut account (if you already have one)
Delete picture, testimonial, scraps, etc
or Delete friends so everyone on orkut will become stranger!

# Update : Short note on how to use this feature

In comment by Dreesa we come to know there is little confusion about this feature so we are adding clarification note

Scene 1: Stranger should not write to your scrapbook

>> Select "friends" from drop-down box next to "allow scraps to be written by" setting!

Scene 2: Stranger should not read your scrapbook (Implied :: and should not write)

>> Select "friends" from drop-down box next to scrapbook in "allow content to be viewed by" setting!

>> Note: Orkut assumes if you are bothered about reading then writing is also you don’t want to allow. So preventing read access automatically override setting "allow scraps to be written by"

# How Orkut Could have avoided this confusion!

Way 1: Put altogether different setting for scrapbook

Scrapbook is different than album, videos and other stuff as other can write into your scrapbook but cant upload pictures to your album!

So something like "scrapbook setting" should be implemented separately with options

Anyone can read and write (default option)
Only friends can read and write

So privacy setting page could look like: (Click on image to enlarge it)

Way 2: Hide scraps not scrapbox form!

If orkut want to drop assumption that people will not imagine something like "write only" scrapbook, then best way to do this is hide content of scrapbook not scrapbox itself so stranger can not read scraps but can write!

So scrapbook would look like:

Well there could be still another way! If you got one let us know!

That’s it! Enjoy safer orkut

Related Link: Official Orkut Post | Scrapbook Cleaner Script

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11 Comments (including Pingbacks/Trackbacks) so far »

Honey said, on December 5, 2007 @4:16 am

Hey rahul thanx for that digg shout..!!
i write a post dedicate to you http://www.honeytechblog.com/orkut-scrapbook-privacy/
Pawan said, on December 5, 2007 @9:30 am

Hi Rahul

Please correct “embracing” to “embarrassing”
Dreesa said, on December 5, 2007 @9:36 am

Well, about the privacy “allow content to be viewed by:
restrict who is allowed to view my content”..

If I mark on scrapbook just “friends”, anybody will send scrap if are not my friend..
They can’t see it and send any scraps!!!
Cause the box to write desapear if is not allowed to VIEW only!!

” allow scraps to be written by:
restrict who is allowed to write in my scrapbook ”
NOTE: everyone is allowed to send me scraps.
Rahul Bansal said, on December 5, 2007 @11:20 am

Thanks buddy!
Rahul Bansal said, on December 5, 2007 @11:21 am

Thanks pawan for correction!
I will be more careful in future!
Rahul Bansal said, on December 5, 2007 @12:24 pm

Ya Dressa its little confusing!

Added clarification at the end of post!
pratik said, on March 1, 2008 @10:24 am

hey how can i view locked scrapbook in orkut it really urgent for me i have tried everything form grease monkey to sandbox,through javascripts but couldn’t find anything plz help me out
Rahul Bansal said, on March 2, 2008 @12:48 pm

@Pratik

As of now there is no way to do this.

Sorry for negative answer but if we find anything in feature we will surely put that on our blog!

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shaik kamal ershad said, on May 5, 2008 @11:39 pm

i want to lock profile photo.Is that possible to lock my profile photo..if yes..just give me the reply….
thankng u
shaik kamal ershad said, on May 5, 2008 @11:42 pm

how to put application in my profile.so that if any body wants to open my profile.i want to here them a song.Is that possible to hear a song from my profile..if yes…just give the suggestion..
thanking u
Rahul Bansal said, on May 6, 2008 @2:38 pm

@shaik kamal ershad
About photo locking…
Next to album settings, select friends option from drop-down menu.
Remember your friends can always see your albums…

About Music App…
I do not know about any such application as of now. But if I find one, I will post about it on this blog.

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