Remember Orkut? Its founder wants to bring it back

Orkut, the once-popular social networking platform that shut down more than a decade ago, may finally be making a comeback, as its founder has called on users to help revive it with a renewed focus on friendship, community, and human connection.

In a post on X on Thursday, Orkut Büyükkökten, the founder of the eponymous social network, urged users to visit Orkut.com and add their names in support of bringing it back, as well as invite others to join.

Orkut first debuted in 2004 as a side project by Büyükkökten, 51, while he was at Google. The social network went on to become hugely popular in India and Brazil but later lost ground to Facebook. Google eventually shut it down in September 2014, shifting its focus to other platforms, including Google+ and YouTube.

In a letter published on Orkut.com, Büyükkökten criticized how social media has evolved over the past two decades, particularly the growing influence of algorithms and AI-generated content. “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,” he wrote.

“I know how to get there: we rebuild the internet we first loved. The one with authentic people, real connection, and genuine belonging,” Büyükkökten added.

This is not the first time Büyükkökten has explored a return to social networking. In 2016, two years after Orkut’s shutdown, he launched another social network, Hello, focused on connecting people through shared interests. The platform shut down in 2020 after attracting more than 2 million downloads worldwide, compared with Orkut’s about 300 million active users.

In 2022, Büyükkökten hinted at another social networking venture in a note on Orkut.com, saying that he was “building something new.” He did not offer further details. Two years later, he told WIRED he was working on a social network that would “leverage AI and machine learning” to bring people together and build communities. That platform has yet to launch.

Now, Büyükkökten is asking people to register their support for Orkut’s return. He has, however, not clarified whether a new version of the platform is already in development or whether it will ever launch.

An email sent to Orkut seeking comment from Büyükkökten did not elicit a response.

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Jagmeet covers startups, tech policy-related updates, and all other major tech-centric developments from India for TechCrunch. He previously worked as a principal correspondent at NDTV.

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