Orkut Founder Aims to Revive Social Network with Focus on Human Connection
The founder of Orkut, a once-popular social network that was shut down in 2014 by Google, is seeking user support for its potential revival. In an online post and letter published on Orkut.com, Orkut Büyükkökten emphasized the need to rebuild internet platforms around authentic human connections rather than algorithm-driven content or AI-generated interactions. He has asked users to register their interest in bringing back the platform. Orkut was launched as a side project by Büyükkökten while at Google and gained significant traction, particularly in India and Brazil before being overtaken by Facebook. After its shutdown, he attempted other social ventures like Hello (2016–2020) but none achieved the same scale or success. Büyükkökten has previously hinted at new projects involving AI to foster community building, though no details have been confirmed yet about Orkut’s potential return. The founder did not respond to requests for further clarification on whether a new version is already in development.
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Topics: AI in social networking Orkut platform revival social media