Halal-certified social media platform in the works

An Islamic version of Facebook will be launched in Indonesia in November, giving the country of 240 million people another outlet for its insatiable appetite for social media.

Salamworld, as it is called, will also have an option that allows users to ensure the content they view is Halal - material allowed under Islamic law - and filter out indecent subject matter such as pornography or illegal drugs.

The Islamic social networking is expected to be well received in Indonesia.

The world's most populous Muslim nation is also the second-largest market in the world for Facebook and the third-largest for Twitter.

While Salamworld chairman Abdulvahit Niyazov has described the site as a "cleaner version of Facebook", it has not been designed to replace the social media behemoth.

Salamworld will allow its users to link to their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

"By filtering out harmful content and ensuring that its pages uphold and respect family values, Salamworld can be described as 'Halal Facebook', the new social networking phenomenon," Mr Niyazov said.

Salamworld is currently being tested by some 1000 users worldwide.

It will be available in eight languages, including English, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and Russian.

Source: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/world/islamic-facebook-to-be-launched-in-indon/story-fnd14032-1226450137948