As a pioneer of the short-form video format, Vine has earned a reputation as one of the most influential social media platforms, if only for a short time.
The app, which allows users to record looping six-second videos, has skyrocketed in popularity since its release in 2013, spawning a slew of viral comedy skits and internet memes. At its peak, it had 100 million monthly active users and helped launch the careers of influencers like Logan Paul.
The service was picked up by Twitter (now X) shortly after its creation, but was shut down in 2017 after the platform failed to accumulate funding.
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey is now backing efforts to revive an improved version of the much-loved platform with a new philosophy: a short-form video app that offers “freedom from AI slop.”
Twitter’s former chief executive has funded a new platform that hosts 500,000 videos from the original Vine app and allows users to post new content. New materials must meet the traditional six-second time limit and must be created by humans. The platform has relaunched in the app store under a new name, Divine, and with the philosophy that “creativity is in human hands.”
This comes as it becomes increasingly difficult to avoid low-quality AI-generated material online. A recent study found that over 20% of the videos YouTube’s algorithm shows to new users are “AI slops.”
Divine was originally released to testers last November, hosting the original app’s 100,000 popular videos, but is now available to everyone. The project was spearheaded by Evan Henshaw Plass, known online as “Rabble.” A former Twitter employee, he wanted to give an old vine a permanent home. He said some of the original Vine creators have already expressed interest in the project.
While the app’s resurgence will evoke nostalgia among many web users, the people behind its resurgence have a larger purpose. “Divine started as a personal project to reconnect with a time when the internet felt creative, open, and undeniably human,” said Henshaw Plass.
“The overwhelming response I received from the initial announcement made my side project more athletic. The release of the app is less about nostalgia and more about an antidote to the social media landscape.
“Divine will begin to redress the balance of power by giving creators and users more say in their online social lives and businesses.”
To ensure that AI-generated content is not being posted, Divine requires users to either record videos directly on the app or use verification tools to ensure they are created by a human.
Funding was provided through Dorsey’s nonprofit foundation and Other Stuff, which supports open source social media projects. “It’s no secret that we didn’t find the business model for Vine,” Dorsey said. “Divine’s founding principle is that creators always have full control over their content and followers, allowing them to generate and grow their own revenue streams.”
This project reflects the regret felt by key stakeholders regarding the sale and closure of the original Vine. The app’s founder, Rus Yusupov, has made no secret of his belief that selling to Twitter was a mistake. After Twitter announced the site would be shutting down, he posted, “Don’t sell your company!”
No matter how important Vine has been in the evolution of digital platforms, new apps face significant barriers to success. Short-form videos have exploded, leading to the creation of sites like TikTok. Meta has its own platforms such as Instagram Reels. Owned by Google, YouTube Shorts receives an average of over 200 billion views per day.
