Orkut, the once-popular social networking platform that shut down greater than a decade in the past, could lastly be making a comeback, as its founder has known as on customers to assist revive it with a renewed concentrate on friendship, neighborhood, and human connection.
In a post on X on Thursday, Orkut Büyükkökten, the founding father of the eponymous social community, urged customers to go to Orkut.com and add their names in assist of bringing it again, in addition to invite others to affix.
Orkut first debuted in 2004 as a aspect undertaking by Büyükkökten, 51, whereas he was at Google. The social community went on to turn into massively well-liked in India and Brazil however later misplaced floor to Fb. Google ultimately shut it down in September 2014, shifting its focus to different platforms, together with Google+ and YouTube.
In a letter published on Orkut.com, Büyükkökten criticized how social media has developed over the previous twenty years, notably the rising affect of algorithms and AI-generated content material. “Synthetic intelligence is extraordinary expertise, nevertheless it’s dissolving the one premise that made social networking particular and price constructing: that there was an individual on the opposite aspect,” he wrote.
“I understand how to get there: we rebuild the web we first beloved. The one with genuine folks, actual connection, and real belonging,” Büyükkökten added.
This isn’t the primary time Büyükkökten has explored a return to social networking. In 2016, two years after Orkut’s shutdown, he launched one other social community, Good day, centered on connecting folks by means of shared pursuits. The platform shut down in 2020 after attracting greater than 2 million downloads worldwide, in contrast with Orkut’s about 300 million active users.
In 2022, Büyükkökten hinted at one other social networking enterprise in a note on Orkut.com, saying that he was “constructing one thing new.” He didn’t provide additional particulars. Two years later, he told WIRED he was engaged on a social community that might “leverage AI and machine studying” to convey folks collectively and construct communities. That platform has but to launch.
Now, Büyükkökten is asking folks to register their assist for Orkut’s return. He has, nevertheless, not clarified whether or not a brand new model of the platform is already in improvement or whether or not it is going to ever launch.
An electronic mail despatched to Orkut in search of remark from Büyükkökten didn’t elicit a response.
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