Orkut Prepares for Return: Founder revives social network with executives from São Paulo and criticizes current media toxicity
According to the founder of the famous social network, the new version seeks to recover the essence of the community that enchanted so many users in the past, but with an updated approach adjusted to contemporary needs.
Turkish engineer Orkut Buyukkokten / Photo Reproduction / Disclosure
Google's famous social network that won over millions of Brazilians in the 2000s is about to make a surprising return. Orkut Büyükkökten, the Turkish engineer who founded the platform, recently announced that he is working on relaunching the social network. The new version promises to bring back the essence of the community that captivated so many users in the past, but with an updated approach adapted to modern times. Büyükkökten, who is in Brazil to participate in "Rio Innovation Week" this Wednesday (14), highlighted that, in addition to having professionals from Silicon Valley, he also plans to recruit executives from São Paulo, a city for which he has a special affection, to boost the resumption of the social network.
Orkut Social Network
Orkut was a social network created in 2004 by Büyükkökten, while working at Google. It was extremely popular in Brazil and India, having more than 300 million users at the height of its popularity. Orkut allowed users to create profiles, add friends, participate in thematic communities and I would have interacted through messages and testimonials. Its simple interface and diverse communities contributed to the network's success, especially in Brazil, where it became a cultural phenomenon. Despite its popularity, Orkut was discontinued in 2014, due to competition from other social networks, such as Facebook.
Return of the Social Network
Second Büyükkökten, everyone wants to revive something similar to Orkut. People remember the communities they formed and the authentic spirit that existed. He believes there has never been a better time to reclaim that genuine experience as social media has become more social media-focused. Instead of connecting people and creating communities, social media is now dominated by marketers, corporations and influencers. He also highlighted the need to create a healthier and more positive online environment, in contrast to the toxicity he sees on current platforms.
According to him, when looking at social media today, it is clear that platforms like Facebook and Instagram are very different. These platforms prioritize profit over safety, profiting from negativity and anger as negative emotions keep users engaged longer. This results in more ad viewing and, consequently, greater profits for these companies, which also collect and sell data. 'Social media is extremely toxic now', he criticizes Büyükkökten.
According to the engineer, the creation of the extinct social network aimed to connect communities and bring people together. He stated that this is why many remember Orkut as a place where they met their best friend, got their dream job, fell in love, got married and started a family. It is believed that we can regain this authentic and genuine engagement. He highlighted that the key to this is using technology, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, and optimizing algorithms, which can restore authenticity and connection on social media.
"I'm taking all the experience I had with Orkut, Hello, to launch a new social network where I'm going to bring all the positivity and all the experiences I had with all of these. If you think about the content that is created today, it doesn't really add value. You have teenagers, usually spending three to seven hours on TikTok. And what do they accomplish in the end? They're not making new friends, they're not making new connections, but they're depressed and lonely." founder of the social network.
Büyükkökten did not specify an exact date for the return, only mentioning that it is being studied to happen soon. Orkut's official website was reactivated in 2022 with a message in English and Portuguese informing that something new was being developed. The announcement was made two days after Elon Musk reached a deal to buy the former Twitter for US$ 44 billion. The acquisition generated divisions among internet users, many of whom began calling for Orkut's return.
Users
''Eu Hate Acordar Cedo' one of the most famous communities on the social network - Photo Reproduction
The announcement of Orkut's return generated great expectations among former users and aroused the curiosity of new generations, who may not have had the opportunity to experience the golden age of the social network. On social media, the hashtag #VoltaOrkut has already started to gain traction again, demonstrating the enthusiasm of many who are eagerly waiting to see how the platform will be reimagined.
Last Monday (12), the well-known social network became one of the most talked about topics on X, after Brazilian users began to remember how communities within the site, traditional discussion forums, were capable of bringing people together. At the time, some communities stood out for a good double-meaning joke, while others attracted millions of users. Among the most famous were "I hate To wake up Early", with 6,106,958 members, and "I Amo My MOTHER!”, with 4,571,629 members.
