Vine is back, rebooted as diVine, funded by Twitters Jack Dorsey
In a nostalgic twist for social media enthusiasts, Vine is making a comeback—sort of. The new platform, diVine, was launched on Thursday by And Other Stuff, a nonprofit collective spearheaded by Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter and the original architect behind Vine, which was famously discontinued in 2017. diVine aims to recapture the essence of Vine by allowing users to create and share six-second videos, reminiscent of the original platform’s appeal. With access to over 100,000 archived Vine videos, diVine invites users to engage with a treasure trove of classic content, fostering a sense of community around the raw and unfiltered creativity that defined the original Vine experience.
What sets diVine apart is its commitment to decentralization and authenticity in a digital landscape increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence. The platform emphasizes that it is built on decentralized technology, stating, “owned by no one, controlled by everyone.” This ethos resonates with users who yearn for a more genuine social media experience, where they can curate their feeds and engage with real individuals rather than algorithm-driven content. Evan Henshaw-Plath, the project lead, articulates a desire to evoke nostalgia while also promoting a more user-centric approach to social media. He expresses a hope that diVine can provide a space where users can interact with genuine moments, free from the clutter often associated with AI-generated content. By prohibiting AI-generated posts, diVine aims to preserve the authenticity that many users feel has been lost in the current social media landscape, setting it apart from platforms like TikTok, which many view as Vine’s spiritual successor.
As the social media ecosystem evolves, diVine emerges as a bold experiment that seeks to blend nostalgia with modern technology. With its focus on genuine human interaction and a commitment to decentralization, diVine may attract users seeking a return to the simplicity and authenticity that characterized the early days of social media. Whether this new platform can carve out its niche in a crowded market remains to be seen, but it certainly taps into a growing desire for more meaningful online connections amidst the noise of contemporary digital life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb5tgKR_akU
What’s old is new again —
Vine
is back.
Well, kind of. And Other Stuff,
a nonprofit
collective run by Jack Dorsey — yes, the Twitter founder
who originally killed Vine
— financed diVine, which launched Thursday. It has very similar branding to Vine, is focused on six-second videos, and will feature archived, old Vines. TechCrunch, which spoke with the company,
reported diVine users
will have access to over 100,000 archived Vine videos.
Here’s what
diVine’s site
says:
“Experience the raw, unfiltered creativity of real people sharing genuine moments in 6-second loops. Built on decentralized technology, owned by no one, controlled by everyone.”
It tracks that someone would try to reboot Vine, considering the massive success of
TikTok
, which feels like its spiritual successor. Elon Musk, in fact,
has threatened to reboot
Vine in the past.
Besides rebooting the six-second concept and relying on open-source tech, diVine has another interesting core promise: no AI. In a time of increasing AI slop, diVine will not allow — and will prevent the posting of — AI-generated content.
SEE ALSO:
Vine is dead. Let’s keep it that way.
“So basically, I’m like, can we do something that’s kind of nostalgic?” Evan Henshaw-Plath, the person leading the project,
told TechCrunch
. “Can we do something that takes us back, that lets us see those old things, but also lets us see an era of social media where you could either have control of your algorithms, or you could choose who you follow, and it’s just your feed, and where you know that it’s a real person that recorded the video?”
