Google bids goodbye to Orkut

 

 

Users of Google's first social network will have three months to say their goodbyes and look for other social networks to join.

 

But no, it's not Google+ that's being shuttered but Orkut - one of Google's early attempts at a social network, engineering director Paulo Golgher said.

 

"Over the past decade, YouTube, Blogger and Google+ have taken off, with communities springing up in every corner of the world. Because the growth of these communities has outpaced Orkut's growth, we've decided to bid Orkut farewell (or, tchau). We'll be focusing our energy and resources on making these other social platforms as amazing as possible for everyone who uses them," Golgher said in a blog post.

 

"It's been a great 10 years, and we apologize to those still actively using the service. We hope people will find other online communities to spark more conversations and build even more connections for the next decade and beyond," he added.

 

He said Orkut started off as a "20 percent" project - where Google employees spend 20 percent of their time for a pet project.

 

Orkut communities "started conversations, and forged connections, that had never existed before," and helped shape life online before social networking as we know it, he said.

 

Golgher said Google will shut down Orkut on September 30, with the next three months serving as time for the community to "manage the transition."

 

"People can export their profile data, community posts and photos using Google Takeout (available until September 2016)," he said.

 

On the other hand, he said it will no longer be possible to create a new Orkut account.

 

Meanwhile, Golgher said the Orkut communities created by users will live on, as an archive that will be available online starting September 30.

 

Those who do not want their posts or names included in the community archive may "remove Orkut permanently from your Google account."

 

A separate report on tech site Mashable noted Google launched Orkut in January 2004, after failing to acquire then-it social network Friendster.

 

It said Orkut gained followers in Brazil, but not in the United States. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News