A Six-Second Revolution
Vine was founded in June 2012 by Dom Hofmann, Rus Yusupov, and Colin Kroll. Acquired by Twitter for $30 million, it launched its app in January 2013. The platform allowed users to share 6-second looping videos, revolutionizing short-form content creation.
Rapid Growth and Cultural Impact
In months, Vine became the most downloaded app on iOS, with features like “loop counts” and music loops enhancing user creativity. By 2015, Vine had over 200 million users and birthed internet stars like Shawn Mendes, Logan Paul, and Lele Pons while spawning countless memes.
Challenges and Decline
Competing platforms like Instagram introduced video-sharing features, and monetization challenges led creators to leave Vine. In October 2016, Twitter announced its discontinuation, and the app became Vine Camera before being fully shut down in 2017.
The Legacy Lives On
Vine’s short-form video concept influenced platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Co-founder Dom Hofmann attempted a revival with Byte in 2020, but it was discontinued in 2023.
Vine, founded in 2012 and bought by Twitter for $30M, let users create 6-second looping videos that revolutionized social media. It quickly rose to fame, becoming the most downloaded app on iOS in 2013, while giving rise to stars and viral content that defined a generation.🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/IL4WW0kGd7
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) January 24, 2025