{{short description|Social networking service}} {{Expand language|topic=|langcode=Ru|otherarticle=Одноклассники (социальная сеть)|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox website | name = Odnoklassniki | logo = Logo Odnoklassniki 2023.svg | url = {{URL|https://ok.ru/}} | commercial = yes | type = Social Networking | language = 13 languages: {{hlist|Armenian|Azerbaijani|English|Georgian|German|Romanian|Russian|Kazakh|Kyrgyz|Tajik|Turkish|Ukrainian|Uzbek}} | registration = Required; no payment needed since August 31, 2010 | owner = VK | author = Albert Popkov (founder and head) | launch_date = {{start date and age|2006|3|4}} }} '''Odnoklassniki''' ({{langx|rus|Одноклассники|translation=Classmates}}), abbreviated as '''OK''' or '''OK.ru''', is a social networking service and online video sharing website primarily in Russia and former Soviet Republics.<ref>[https://www.dreamgrow.com/social-media-in-russia/ Social Media in Russia], Dreamgrow.com, 2011.</ref> The site was launched on March 4, 2006, by Albert Popkov and is currently owned by VK.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://odnoklassniki.ru/cdk/st.cmd/helpAbout/tkn/729 |title=About the project |access-date=2008-03-06 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718002705/http://odnoklassniki.ru/cdk/st.cmd/helpAbout/tkn/729 |archive-date=2012-07-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The website currently has more than 200 million registered users and 45 million daily unique visitors. Odnoklassniki also currently has an Alexa Internet traffic ranking of 56 worldwide and 7 for Russia. Odnoklassniki is the second most popular social network in Russia, behind VK (VKontakte) but ahead of Facebook, which is in 3rd place.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ecommercenews.eu/need-know-entering-russian-market/amp/|title=What you need to know when entering the Russian market|website=ecommercenews.eu|access-date=2019-03-17|archive-date=2016-06-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607232903/http://ecommercenews.eu/need-know-entering-russian-market/amp/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== History == Odnoklassniki was launched on March 26, 2006,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.infoniac.ru/events/Den-rozhdeniya-social-noi-seti-Odnoklassniki.html|title=Odnoklassniki social network birthday|website=infoniac.ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-12}}</ref> by Albert Popkov, a telecommunications professional residing in London. Having previously been involved in similar projects in other European countries, Popkov initially developed Odnoklassniki as a hobby project from March to November 2006. During this period, it was only mentioned commercially within a friendly advertising agency as an advertising platform.
However, due to a significant increase in userbase, Popkov established a separate legal entity for the service. By July 2007, Odnoklassniki had grown its audience to 3 million users. In November 2009, the British company I-CD accused Popkov of copyright infringement, alleging that he used proprietary information to create a site similar to I-CD's social network Passado. Popkov was previously employed by I-CD but had resigned in November 2005. Popkov denied these allegations,<ref>[https://newsru.com/finance/03dec2008/popkov.html Британская компания требует отдать ей "Одноклассники.ru"] NEWSru, December 3, 2008. {{in lang|ru}}</ref> but was eventually dismissed as managing director of Odnoklassniki.<ref>[http://www.rb.ru/news/business/2008/09/15/080500.html Альберта Попкова сняли с должности гендиректора "Одноклассников"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107122736/http://www.rb.ru/news/business/2008/09/15/080500.html |date=2011-01-07 }} rb.ru, September 15, 2009. {{in lang|ru}}</ref> In November 2009, after the first day of trial in the Royal Courts of Justice,<ref>[http://roem.ru/2009/10/29/addednews12894/ Инсайд: Стенограмма прений в суде по иску i-CD Publishing к Альберту Попкову]. ROEM.ru (in Russian). {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107025916/http://roem.ru/2009/10/29/addednews12894 |date=2011-01-07 }}. October 29, 2009.</ref> I-CD dropped all charges against Popkov and Odnoklassniki<ref>[https://www.snob.ru/fp/entry/9512 Британская компания отозвала иск к создателю Odnoklassniki.ru Альберту Попкову] SNOB.ru, November 25, 2009. {{in lang|ru}}</ref> after they agreed to pay an undisclosed amount as settlement.
In September 2008, Popkov sold a controlling interest in Odnoklassniki to Digital Sky Technologies (DST), the owner of Mail.ru. DST and its subsidiary, Forticom, acquired a 58% stake in the network.<ref name="V1">{{in lang|ru}} Vedomosti, September 15, 2008 [https://www.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/article.shtml?2008/09/15/161097]</ref> Paid registration was introduced in Odnoklassniki in 2008, but this led to a decline in popularity as users began migrating to the main competitor, VKontakte.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://thenextweb.com/security/2008/11/02/odnoklassnikiru-sms-payments-for-monetization-and-security/|title=Odnoklassniki.ru introduces SMS payments for monetization and security|last=Pfauth|first=Ernst-Jan|date=2008-11-02|website=The Next Web |access-date=2019-12-12}}</ref> As a result, Odnoklassniki reverted to a free model and discontinued user registration fees by August 2010.<ref name=":2" />
On January 23, 2009, a service was launched which allows a user to clear their personal page of uninvited guests by removing them from the list of views as well as allowing the blocking access from all users that they are not "friends" with on the service.
In early April 2010 beta testing games became available on the site, developed by i-Jet, and on December 24, 2010, users of Odnoklassniki publicly released a beta version of video chat. Regular updates between 2011 and 2019 saw additional features added, such as the ability to divide friends into groups, a music section where users could upload MP3 files, and detailed customizable user themes.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-04-24 |title=Odnoklassniki social network translated into Uzbek |url=https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2012/04/24/ok/ |access-date=2019-12-13 |website=Gazeta.uz |language=ru}}</ref> Odnoklassniki reached 40 million users per day in 2013 <ref>{{Cite web |title=Odnoklassniki social network birthday |url=https://www.infoniac.ru/events/Den-rozhdeniya-social-noi-seti-Odnoklassniki.html |access-date=2019-12-13 |website=infoniac.ru |language=ru}}</ref> and in 2022, following the block of Instagram by Roskomnadzor, about 4% of the former Instagram users polled by Zarplata.ru said they had switched to Odnoklassniki.<ref>{{cite web |date=2022-05-17 |title=Poll reveals how many Russians stopped using Instagram |url=https://tass.com/society/1452023 |website=tass.com}}</ref>
Additionally, Odnoklassniki introduced advertising formats, launched its messenger called OK Messages, included live broadcasts in communities, and developed a video app called OK Video for Smart TV. The social network also faced challenges, such as being blocked by the Ukrainian government in retaliation for the annexation of Crimea and dealing with technical issues that temporarily affected site availability.{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}}
In recent years, Odnoklassniki has continued to add features such as the "recommendations" service, new emoticons beyond the "Class" button, a video feed on the mobile app, and an ad account for small businesses and content creators.{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}}
== Service blocking in Ukraine == In May 2017, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree imposing a ban on Mail.ru and its social networks, including VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, as part of its continued sanctions on Russia for its annexation of Crimea and involvement in the War in Donbas.<ref name="Poroshenko170515">{{cite web | last = Poroshenko | first = Petro | author-link = Petro Poroshenko | script-title=uk:УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №133/2017: Про рішення Ради національної безпеки і оборони України від 28 квітня 2017 року 'Про застосування персональних спеціальних економічних та інших обмежувальних заходів (санкцій)' | url = https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/1332017-21850 | language = uk | trans-title = DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE №133 / 2017: On the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated April 28, 2017 "On the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions)" | publisher = President of Ukraine | date = May 15, 2017 | access-date = March 13, 2018}}</ref><ref name="UkraineSanctionsEntityList">{{cite web | script-title=uk:Додаток 2 до рішення Ради національної безпеки і оборони України від «28» квітня 2017 року «Про застосування персональних спеціальних економічних та інших обмежувальних заходів (санкцій)» ЮРИДИЧНІ ОСОБИ, до яких застосовуються обмежувальні заходи (санкції) | url = https://www.president.gov.ua/storage/j-files-storage/00/40/38/6f76b8df9d0716da74bb4ae6a900d483_1494964345.pdf | language = uk | trans-title = Annex 2 to the Decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated April 28, 2017, "On the Application of Personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions)" Legal Entities under Restrictive Measures (Sanctions) | publisher = President of Ukraine | page = 185-6 (#422 mail.ru Group), 186-7 (#423 ТОВ «Вконтакте» (VKontakte)), 187-8 (#424 ТОВ «В Контакті» (In Kontakte)) & 189 (#425 mail.ru Ukraine). This is a prohibition of Internet Service Providers (ISP) to provide access to the internet service «Mail.ru» (mail.ru) and social-oriented resources «Vkontakte» (vk.com) and «Odnoklassniki» (ok.ru) | date = April 28, 2017 | access-date = March 13, 2018}}</ref> The move was widely criticized as censorship, and Reporters Without Borders condemned the ban, calling it a "disproportionate measure that seriously undermines the Ukrainian people's right to information and freedom of expression."<ref>https://rsf.org/en/news/rsf-urges-ukraine-scrap-ban-russian-social-media-sites|{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} RSF | May 23, 2017</ref><ref name="UbRwM17">[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39934666 Ukraine's Poroshenko to block Russian social networks], BBC News (16 May 2017)</ref> Respondents in an online poll on the UNIAN site declared that 66% were "categorically against" the ban of Russian sites and another 11% said it would be easier to "ban the whole internet, like in North Korea".<ref name="luhn">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/16/ukraine-blocks-popular-russian-websites-kremlin-role-war|title=Ukraine blocks popular social networks as part of sanctions on Russia|last=Luhn|first=Alec|date=16 May 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=17 May 2017}}</ref>
According to the Ukrainian Internet Association, the share of Ukrainian Internet users who visit Odnoklassniki daily had fallen from 35% in September 2016 to 10% in September 2019.<ref name="withoutOdnoklassniki653664">{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.epravda.com.ua/publications/2019/11/14/653664/ Three years without VKontakte: what social networks do Ukrainians prefer], Ukrayinska Pravda (14 November 2019)</ref>
== Paid registration and services == In October 2008, Odnoklassniki began requiring new users to pay a fee via SMS to activate their accounts and unlock many core features, including creating posts, uploading or rating photos, leaving comments in forums, or visiting other users' pages. Odnoklassniki claimed the measure was necessary to maintain order in the network and protect users from spam.<ref name=":1" /> The site also offered a number of other, separate paid services: deleting ratings of their photos, disabling the user online status, and providing a wide range of emojis.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Classmates' social networking has become paid |url=https://lenta.ru/news/2008/10/31/odnoklassniki/ |access-date=2019-12-30 |website=lenta.ru |language=ru}}</ref>
By August 2010, Odnoklassniki canceled paid registration, claiming that new effective ways to combat spammers had been developed.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://lenta.ru/news/2010/08/31/odnoklassniki/|title='Classmates' canceled paid registration|website=lenta.ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref>
In February 2016, the social network, together with its partner bank VTB 24, introduced the ability to make money transfers between users of the network. Transfers are made between MasterCard, Maestro, and Visa payment cards issued by Russian banks and linked to user profiles.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2906274|title='Одноклассники' пошли ва-банк|work=Коммерсантъ|access-date=2019-12-30|language=ru}}</ref>
== Awards and recognition ==
*2006 – Runet Award in the Health and Recreation category.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://regnum.ru/news/economy/747606.html|title=In 2006, almost 500 Internet projects competed for the Runet Prize|website=ИА REGNUM|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref><ref>[http://www.premiaruneta.ru/archive/premia-2006/rulet/ Runet Prize, 2006] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013035204/http://www.premiaruneta.ru/archive/premia-2006/rulet/ |date=2007-10-13 }} {{in lang|ru}}</ref> *2006 – 4th place in the People's Ten of the Runet Prize.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pravoslavie.ru/19736.html|title=There are 4 Orthodox sites in the People's Ten at the Runet-2006 Prize|website=www.pravoslavie.ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> *2007 – Runet Award in the category "Culture and Mass Communications".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazeta.ru/news/social/2007/11/28/n_1146167.shtml|title=Runet-2007 Award presented|date=28 November 2007|website=Газета.Ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref><ref>[http://www.premiaruneta.ru/premia-2007/ Runet Prize, 2007] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221182006/http://www.premiaruneta.ru/premia-2007/ |date=2008-02-21 }} {{in lang|ru}}</ref> *2007 – 3rd place in the "People's Ten" Runet Prize.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=317801|title=Одноклассники.ru|website=vesti.ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lib.broadcasting.ru/articles2/event/prem_ryneta_2007|title=Runet Prize 2007|last=Media|website=lib.broadcasting.ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30|archive-date=2019-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230134140/http://lib.broadcasting.ru/articles2/event/prem_ryneta_2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> *2007 is the "project of the year" in the ROTOR ++ network competition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ezhe.ru/POTOP++/index.2007.html|title=ROTOR ++ 2007: Russian TOR ++ Online Online Competition|website=ezhe.ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> *2007 – the first Russian annual nationwide award in the entertainment industry "Russian Entertainment Awards" in the nomination "Website of the Year".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ura.news/news/42719|title=In honor of the ordinary Yekaterinburg Muscovites threw a grand party.|website=ura.news|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> *2008 – Grand Prix in the nomination "Impact on offline" in the network professional competition of the Russian Online TOP (ROTOR) 2008 and ROTOR ++.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ezhe.ru/POTOP/index.2008.html|title=РОТОР 2008|website=ezhe.ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> *2008 – 1st place in the People's Ten of the Runet Prize.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ng.ru/society/2008-11-27/100_runet.html|title=Anniversary 'Runet Prize 2008' named the Laureates|date=27 November 2008|website=www.ng.ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> *2008 – Grand Prix in the Master of Brandbuilding competition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sostav.ru/news/2008/06/02/9/|title='Classmates' became the first. Representatives of leading business media have identified the top ten companies in the field of brand creation and promotion|date=2 June 2008|website=www.sostav.ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> *2009 – "Disappointment of the year" in the ROTOR network competition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lenta.ru/news/2009/05/28/potop/|title=The winners of the ROTOR-2009 competition are named|date=28 May 2009|website=lenta.ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ezhe.ru/POTOP/index.2009.html|title=РОТОР 2009|website=ezhe.ru|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> *2011 – 3rd place in the Technology and Innovation Runet Prize.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ria.ru/20111125/498105741.html|title=Winners of 'Runet-2011 Award' Announced|date=25 November 2011|website=РИА Новости|language=ru|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> *2012 – Venture Village named the site as among "The Top 10 Russian Internet Brands Out to Conquer the World".<ref>[http://venturevillage.eu/the-top-10-russian-internet-brands-out-the-conquer-the-world Top 10 Russian Internet Brands out to conquer the world] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601060752/http://venturevillage.eu/the-top-10-russian-internet-brands-out-the-conquer-the-world |date=2012-06-01 }}</ref>
== Technology == The domain ok.ru is hosted on a server running Apache and located in Moscow, Russia, on VK's network.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ok.ru WHOIS Domain Name Lookup - Who.is |url=https://who.is/whois/ok.ru |access-date=2025-10-30 |website=who.is}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ok.ru Uptime, Downtime and Server Information - Who.is |url=https://who.is/uptime/ok.ru |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=who.is}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Free IP Geolocation API and Accurate IP Geolocation Database |url=https://ipgeolocation.io/what-is-my-ip/ok.ru |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=Free IP Geolocation API and Accurate IP Geolocation Database}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Russia|Internet}} * List of social networking websites * Classmates.com * Nasza klasa (lit. ''Our class''), similar Polish social network website, now defunct * Mastodon
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website}} {{in lang|ru}}
{{Online social networking}}
Category:Internet properties established in 2006 Category:Russian social networking websites Category:Russian brands Category:Internet censorship in Ukraine Category:Social networking services