Orkut Founder Launches Comeback Campaign
Orkut, the social networking platform that became hugely popular in India during the 2000s, could be making a comeback. Its founder, Orkut Büyükkökten, is asking internet users to support an initiative to revive the platform with a renewed focus on friendship, community and genuine human connections.
In a message posted on October 8, Büyükkökten urged people to visit Orkut.com, add their names in support of the initiative and share their supporter cards with others.
However, the announcement is not a confirmation that the original Orkut website is returning. The founder has not announced a launch date or revealed when a new platform might become available.
Why Does Orkut’s Founder Want To Bring It Back?
Büyükkökten believes social media has changed significantly over the past two decades, with platforms increasingly designed to maximise engagement rather than encourage meaningful relationships.
In an open letter published on Orkut.com, he argued that social networking should help people discover communities, build friendships and feel a sense of belonging.
He also raised concerns about the growing use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in online interactions, suggesting that the internet risks losing the human connection that originally made social networking appealing.
His proposed revival aims to bring those principles back into the centre of the social media experience.
Orkut Was A Social Media Giant In India
Launched in January 2004 by Büyükkökten while he was working at Google, Orkut quickly became one of the most recognisable social networking platforms of its era.
It was particularly popular in India and Brazil, attracting users through profile pages, testimonials, friend lists, online communities and discussion groups.
For many Indian internet users, Orkut was their first experience of social networking. People joined communities based on colleges, cities, hobbies, music and shared interests, often forming connections that extended beyond their immediate social circles.
Despite its popularity, Orkut struggled to keep pace with Facebook and other emerging platforms as user preferences and social networking technology evolved.
Google eventually shut down Orkut in September 2014.
What Happened After The Original Platform Closed?
Büyükkökten later launched Hello, another social networking service designed around shared interests and personal connections. The platform eventually shut down in 2020.
He has also discussed developing new social networking experiences in subsequent years, including approaches that use artificial intelligence and machine learning to connect people.
The latest campaign, however, does not yet establish whether the original Orkut brand, its familiar features or its historical user data will return in their previous form.
How Can Users Support The Revival?
People interested in the initiative can visit Orkut.com and add their names to the campaign supporting the proposed revival.
The founder is encouraging supporters to spread the message and demonstrate demand for a social network focused on authentic interactions rather than engagement-driven feeds.
The campaign could help gauge public interest, but signing up does not guarantee access to a new platform or confirm that a launch will take place.
Can Orkut Compete With Instagram And Facebook?
A revived Orkut would enter a very different social media landscape from the one it dominated two decades ago.
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and other platforms have built enormous user bases, while newer services compete on messaging, video, communities and creator tools.
To succeed, a new Orkut would need more than nostalgia. It would need to offer a compelling user experience, protect privacy, moderate harmful content and give people a reason to return regularly.
For now, the founder’s campaign is an early step towards exploring whether users want an alternative built around human connection.
Summary
Orkut founder Orkut Büyükkökten is seeking public support to revive the social networking platform that Google shut down in September 2014. His campaign focuses on friendship, community and authentic human connections rather than engagement-driven social media. Users can add their names on Orkut.com, but no official relaunch date has been announced. Whether the initiative becomes a functioning platform remains uncertain.
