Orkut Set For Comeback? Founder Launches Petition To Challenge AI-Driven Social Media

Last Updated:October 09, 2026, 17:26 IST

Orkut Büyükkökten called on internet users to support a movement dedicated to restoring authentic social networking

The revival strategy focuses heavily on the interest-based communities that originally defined the Orkut experience. Representational image/AI-generated

Orkut Büyükkökten, the creator of the iconic noughties social network Orkut, has launched a campaign to revive the platform as a countermeasure against algorithm-driven feeds, AI-generated content, and online isolation. The move aims to dismantle the current model of social media, which the founder argues prioritises engagement and screen time over genuine human relationships.

Through an open letter posted on orkut.com, Büyükkökten called on internet users to support a movement dedicated to restoring authentic social networking. The effort seeks to replace profit-maximising algorithms with spaces built around real-world communities and mutual interests.

Tackling the Rise of AI and Engagement Algorithms

The campaign highlights growing anxieties surrounding artificial intelligence, automated bots, deepfakes, and synthetic media across modern platforms. Modern social networks have spent two decades optimising for user attention, leaving younger generations addicted, anxious, and increasingly lonely.

Büyükkökten cautioned that while AI is an extraordinary technological tool, its unchecked proliferation erodes trust by erasing the fundamental assurance that a real human exists on the other side of a screen. He argued that emotions like joy, hope, gratitude, and empathy cannot be replicated by automated systems, making human-centric design essential.

Communities Over Feeds: Reclaiming the Past

The revival strategy focuses heavily on the interest-based communities that originally defined the Orkut experience. Unlike contemporary algorithmic feeds that treat users as passive audience members, the proposed platform seeks to restore members to active participants within shared groups.

By shifting the focus back to authentic relationships and verified identities, the initiative aims to build an environment that rewards kindness, curiosity, and trust. The vision advocates for technology that utilises AI strictly to facilitate and deepen real-world human friendships rather than replace them.

Public Response and the Road Ahead

The campaign has sparked widespread nostalgia among former users—particularly across core markets such as India and Brazil, where Orkut originally dominated early social media culture. Thousands of supporters have already added their names to the petition on orkut.com to demonstrate demand for a human-first platform.

While the petition underscores dissatisfaction with current social media environments, key details regarding the project’s funding, final feature set, and official launch timeline remain unannounced. The initiative represents an ambitious attempt to challenge established tech giants by offering an alternative rooted in real connection.

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Why is Orkut founder Orkut Büyükkökten launching a campaign to revive the social network?

Orkut Büyükkökten launched a petition to challenge algorithm-driven social media, AI-generated content, and online isolation. The revival aims to dismantle profit-maximising models that prioritize screen time over genuine human relationships and restore authentic social networking built around real-world communities.

What core features and focus areas are planned for the revived Orkut platform?

The revival strategy focuses heavily on interest-based communities that originally defined the Orkut experience. It seeks to restore users as active participants in shared groups rather than passive audience members, utilizing technology to foster real-world human friendships instead of replacing them.

Where has the Orkut revival campaign generated the most public response and nostalgia?

The campaign has sparked widespread nostalgia among former users, particularly across core historical markets like India and Brazil where Orkut originally dominated early social media culture. Thousands of supporters have already signed the petition on orkut.com.

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Pathikrit Sen Gupta

Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He tra…Read More

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