Bhutanese take to socialising online
19 December 2008
Sonam, 24, is a happily married woman and has a son. Unlike conventional love stories, she fell in love with her husband when he was a faceless man she met while socialising online.
Never had she imagined that she would be marrying the faceless person on the other end of the line.
The story has been similar for many others too. Some socialise to find friends, old classmates, and family while there are a few others who socialise online simply for the love of socialising with different people. It has become a growing trend among youth, office goers and officials of high rank.
“I started socialising online when I was in class XII,” said Rinchen, a young professional, adding that it had worked in his favour as he met many female friends.
Websites known as social sites are commonly used for social networking. Online chat are is also one such socialising forum.
Social networking websites function like an online community of internet users. Depending on the website, many of the online community members share common interests. Socialisation may include reading the profile pages of other members and often even contacting them.
“I meet a lot of Bhutanese friends and that is how I keep myself connected,” said Sonam Phuntsho, an engineer, who is on Facebook. He said that he was a member of many social sites but he preferred Facebook.
The most popular socialising sites in Bhutan are Facebook, Hi5 and Tagged. Facebook is the most active social networking site and Google gives it a rating of nine on 10. Popular online chats used by Bhutanese are Yahoo Chat, Windows Life Messenger and Skype.
Hi5 has more than 14,000 Bhutanese members out of which 7,100 are based in Thimphu. Facebook has more than 17,000 Bhutanese members.
Some people having access to the internet said that the first thing they did every morning before starting their day was check their social sites.
Social networking may be catching on but like most things popular, there is a darker side to the phenomenon. “Socialising online could be dangerous sometimes because some people start connecting with virtual friends and lose contact with real friends,” said Sonam Phuntsho.
Abi Narayan, the Chief Executive Officer of Bhutan Web Solutions, warns that social networking is also known to be used as a tool for paedophiles who prey on unsuspecting or unknowing minors and teenagers who have access to the net.
“There have been cases in the west where children were abused through internet,” he said.
By Tandin Pem
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Loading ...Zakar for Friday July 30 2010
20th Day of the 06th Month - Iron Male Tiger Year
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Is BO idolising Mr Abi Narain????
is he the only IT person in Bhutan or what???
Every coin has two sides so have to take everything positively then only it works on your favour.If you are scared of thorns in the rose plant you never be successful to hand a beautiful rose.
ABi made BO website, from the wordpress open source software available online.
And it is o.k for BO to get some comments from him….