Orkut Buyukkokten, the founder of the social network Orkut, has invited users to express their support for the platform's revival via its official website. The original service, which debuted in 2004 as a Google side project, was shut down in September 2014 after losing market share to competitors like Facebook.
In a public statement, Buyukkokten expressed criticism regarding the current state of social media, specifically citing the impact of AI-generated content and algorithms on human interaction. He stated an intention to rebuild an internet focused on authentic connections and genuine community belonging.
This initiative follows previous attempts by Buyukkokten to re-enter the social networking space. In 2016, he launched a platform called Hello, which reached over 2 million downloads before closing in 2020. Orkut previously maintained a user base of approximately 300 million active users.
Despite the call for support, it remains unclear if a new version of Orkut is currently in development or if a formal launch is planned. Buyukkokten previously mentioned working on a project involving AI and machine learning in 2024, but that platform has not yet been released.
