Google, the internet giant, has decided to shut down one of its the then popular social networking site Orkut by September, 2014. Orkut as Google claims is one of the earliest social networking sites that was established at a time social networking was something new to us.

While Google says the shutdown is due to the hindered and out-spaced growth of Orkut due to the immense popularity of Google's other services like blogger, google+, etc we know the fact of collapse. They also claim that they are bidding farewell to Orkut to spend more time and effort on the other popular services.

But the sad fact is that the Orkut is being shutdown due to its loss in popularity and the falling user rate. Growth of Facebook, has affected Orkut like any other social networking sites that existed until then. As Facebook gained popularity, Orkut and other such social networking giants started falling apart. In the last few years Orkut has failed in bringing up innovative ideas to challenge the social networking giant, Facebook. They lacked innovation and passion that would have sustained Orkut. There was nothing new being introduced to the users. Almost all the options provided were age old boring parts of Orkut. They never tried to have a comeback at-least with a new interface. However, the story comes to an end. And we will definitely be able to say that we are a generation that saw the transition from Orkut to Facebook. Yes we will be saying that we HAD an orkut account. Maybe, it would be one of the most beautiful internet memory for many.

If you are thinking about your data and memories that are stored in Orkut, don't panic, Google never lets their users down. People can export their profile data, community posts and photos using Google Takeout (available until September 2016). You can no more create a new Orkut account. The existing communities will be preserved in an archive by Google which would be accessible by the public. Which means memories would stay, Orkut is leaving.

I remember those days when I was a frequent Orkut user. It was my first social networking experience. Google taught us what is social networking. Like always Google has molded our internet culture to a great extend. Sending those scraps and receiving them were always a matter of happiness. Uploading my first profile picture was done in Orkut. My first email address was created to join Orkut. That would be when I was in 5th or 6th grade, i guess. I remember using proxies to access Orkut which was blocked in the UAE. Orkut definitely has given me a lot of good memories. Thank you Google, you are always our hero on the internet.

There would be hardly few frequent Orkutians existing. Google apologizes them on the decision.

Read more about the closure on the official orkut blog: http://en.blog.orkut.com