Orkut founder Orkut Buyukkokten launched a campaign to bring back the social network. He wants a platform focused on real connections instead of algorithm-driven feeds. "The internet should help us find our people," he said. Users can visit orkut.com to add their names and support this new, human-focused initiative.
Orkut founder Orkut Buyukkokten has launched a campaign to bring back the once-popular social network, inviting users to support a platform focused on real connections, friendship, and community instead of algorithm-driven feeds and AI content.
Remember the days when social media was about connecting with friends, sharing updates and joining communities built around common interests? Orkut, once a popular social networking platform in India and Brazil, may soon make a comeback.
Its founder, Orkut Buyukkokten, is asking users to support a new initiative aimed at bringing people closer online.
Buyukkokten took to X to invite users to visit orkut.com, add their names and share their supporter cards with friends. The campaign centres on friendship, community and creating a place where people feel they belong.
"The internet should help us find our people. Friendship. Community. A place to belong. Help me bring Orkut back in that spirit," he wrote in his post.
Why Orkut founder wants to bring it back
In an open letter on the website, Buyukkokten reflects on how social media has changed over the years. He argues that platforms have increasingly focused on engagement and users' attention rather than meaningful relationships.
"Do you remember when the internet was human? When a message from a stranger on another continent felt like magic? Maybe the connection lasted only a moment, but it was thrilling because it was real," he wrote.
He also raises concerns about algorithm-driven feeds, online loneliness and the growing presence of AI-generated content, which can make it harder to know whether interactions involve real people.
The founder wants to create a social network that prioritises "authentic people, real connection, and genuine belonging."
Communities at the heart of the proposed comeback
For Buyukkokten, online communities were among the features that made Orkut special. Users could connect with people who shared their interests, hobbies and everyday experiences. "When people tell me what they miss most about orkut.com, they always say the communities," he wrote in his open letter.
"The next generation deserves a better world, one where their communities reward kindness, curiosity, friendship, trust, and connection," he added.
How users can support the initiative
Interested users can visit the official website, orkut.com, and add their names to the supporter list. They can then generate a supporter card and share it with friends they would like to invite to the initiative.
However, signing up expresses support for the idea; it does not guarantee access to a future platform or reserve a username.
What happened to the original Orkut?
Created by Google engineer Orkut Buyukkokten, Orkut was launched in January 2004. It became particularly popular in India and Brazil, allowing users to create profiles, connect with friends and join communities based on shared interests.
As competition from other social networking platforms grew, Orkut gradually lost ground. Google discontinued the service in September 2014.