Orkut was a dominant social media platform during the 2000s, enjoying immense popularity in countries like India before Google ultimately shut it down in 2014. More than ten years later, indications suggest that the concept behind Orkut could see a revival. Founder Orkut Buyukkokten has initiated a public campaign inviting users to back a fresh social network designed around authentic individuals, real relationships, and genuine community belonging.
The petition is currently hosted on the official orkut domain and targets internet users seeking a more human-centric digital experience. Recent tallies from the site show over 270,000 signatures gathered from users spanning 115 countries. Buyukkokten has also published an open letter alongside statements on social media, emphasizing that the internet should serve as a tool for discovering friendship, community, and connection. Nevertheless, officials have not provided a confirmed release date or stated that the legacy platform itself is coming back.
In his open letter, Buyukkokten reflects on the evolution of digital spaces, noting that contemporary social media has strayed far from its initial objectives. He recalls how early online networking made connecting with people across the globe exciting because those exchanges felt genuine. Conversely, he contends that modern platforms prioritize maximum engagement over deep relationships, trapping younger generations in algorithmic loops that drive division, addiction, and monetization at the expense of mental health.
Furthermore, Buyukkokten raises concerns about the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and its impact on digital trust. With the proliferation of bots, deepfakes, and autonomous AI agents, he argues that it is becoming increasingly difficult to verify if a real human is participating in an interaction. While acknowledging AI as remarkable technology, he warns that it undermines the core premise that originally made social networking valuable.
This latest campaign follows earlier efforts to revive the spirit of the platform. In 2022, Buyukkokten brought the orkut domain back online with an open letter discussing plans to build a community-driven alternative to mainstream platforms, though that initiative did not yield an immediate relaunch.
As the current petition continues to draw nostalgic interest from former users, the realization of a fully functional platform remains uncertain. For now, the website functions primarily to gather public backing for a reformed digital landscape, with no concrete details or operational timeline disclosed for the proposed network.