Orkut, the once-popular social networking platform that shut down more than a decade ago, may finally be making a comeback. Orkut Büyükkökten, the founder of the eponymous social network, has called on users to help revive it with a renewed focus on friendship, community, and human connection.
Call to Action
In a post on X on Thursday, Büyükkökten urged users to visit Orkut.com and add their names in support of bringing it back, as well as invite others to join.
A Brief History
Orkut first debuted in 2004 as a side project by Büyükkökten while he was at Google. The social network became 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.
Critique of Modern Social Media
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. He stated:
