Remember Orkut? Its founder wants to bring it back

Orkut, the once-popular social networking platform that ceased operations more than a decade ago, may soon be revived, according to its founder. Büyükkökten Büyükkökten, the 51-year-old creator of Orkut, has called upon users to help resurrect the platform with a renewed emphasis on friendship, community, and genuine human connection.

In a recent post on X, Büyükkökten solicited users to visit Orkut.com and sign a petition supporting its return, as well as invite others to join the cause. Initially launched in 2004 as a side project while Büyükkökten was employed at Google, Orkut quickly gained immense popularity in India and Brazil before losing its momentum to Facebook.

Google eventually discontinued the platform in September 2014, redirecting its attention towards other projects like Google+ and YouTube. In a letter posted on Orkut.com, Büyükkökten lamented the transformation of social media over the past two decades, especially the increasing dominance of algorithms and AI-generated content. He emphasized, "Artificial intelligence is extraordinary technology, but it’s dissolving the one premise that made social networking special and worth building: that there was a person on the other side."

Büyükkökten proposed rebuilding the internet with a focus on authentic individuals, real connections, and genuine belonging. This is not Büyükkökten's first attempt to revitalize social networking. In 2016, he launched Hello, a platform aimed at connecting people based on their shared interests. However, Hello was discontinued in 2020 after garnering over 2 million downloads globally, a fraction of Orkut's original user base of approximately 300 million.

In 2022, Büyükkökten hinted at another social networking venture in a note on Orkut.com, stating that he was "building something new." He did not provide further specifics. Two years later, he told WIRED that he was working on a social network leveraging AI and machine learning to foster communities. This platform remains unlaunched.

Now, Büyükkökten is urging individuals to express their support for Orkut's revival. However, he has not disclosed whether a new version of the platform is already in development or if it will ever be launched. An email to Büyükkökten for comment was not answered.