vine – PSafe Blog

Why Did Twitter Decide to Shut Down Vine?

PSafe Newsroom — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 21:00:32 +0000

When Twitter announced it was shutting down Vine, many people had to think back to the last time they used the 6-second video sharing app. Although Vine exploded in popularity in the early 2010s, it had experienced a sharp downturn in use among smartphone owners.

Origins
Twitter bought Vine in 2012 for $30 million, attempting to get into the short video market. For a while, it looked like the sky was the limit for Vine. Users took the format and ran with it, creating unique and sometimes strange clips that could quickly go viral. “Vine stars” were born as aspiring actors, musicians, and comedians all began using the app to gain large followings.

At its peak in 2014, Vine certainly didn’t look like it was going away anytime soon, and Vine stars could snag massive paychecks by creating Vines specifically for brands. Alas, it couldn’t go on forever, and in October 2016, Twitter let the remaining Vine users know that it would be shuttering the app for good.

A Fall from Grace
What happened? In short, competitors emerged that allowed users to engage each other in a similar and more popular format. Instagram introduced 15-second videos to its audience in June 2013, and later increased that limit to a full minute. Then there was the explosion of Snapchat and its 10-second videos. As millions of users turned to Instagram and Snapchat for their video fix, the interest in Vine began to die off.

Vine did relax its 6-second constraint in 2016, but it was simply too little too late. Twitter had been hoping to find a buyer for the app, but was unable to, adding to an already complicated financial picture for the social media giant. Last year Twitter cut 300 jobs, and announced that the end of Vine would coincide with another round of layoffs totaling about 9% if its employees, or roughly 350 people.

The Silver Lining
Luckily for those who have enjoyed the wild and creative Vines that were once so popular, Twitter did announce that it would keep previously created Vines online for viewing. So while the app may be a relic of the past, you can still watch all your favorite Vines if you feel like reminiscing.

Vine may be gone, but it’s a reminder of how quickly things can change when it comes to apps and social networks. Sometimes there aren’t any hard and fast answers as to why an app takes off — or why users ditch it.

10 Vines to Watch Before Twitter Shuts Down Vine

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 21:00:14 +0000

It has only been around since 2013, but Vine has already given us so much. While it may not have cured world hunger or cleaned up the oceans, Vine brought us some unseeable moments that will forever be immortalized in our memories. Who knew you could get so much out of a 6-second clip? Do yourself a favor and check out these 10 must-see Vines while you still can!

The best Nickelback themed Vine. Look at this graph. Just look at it.

https://vine.co/v/e7QhhjvvTUe

Dog Vines are almost always great. Like this one featuring Ralph, the shameless tater tot-stealing dog.

https://vine.co/v/eH7UKqbdthQ

Cat Vines are pretty fantastic, too. How much joy does this adorable stretching kitten bring you? It’s the simple things.

https://vine.co/v/MlwqW3DVEuQ

What’s cuter than adorable pet Vines? Adorable kid Vines, of course. If this sleepy and soft-spoken little one doesn’t make you say “aww,” it’s possible that nothing will.

https://vine.co/v/b02YnMJwgFD

Napoleon Dynamite. Whip. Nae Nae. Enough said.

https://vine.co/v/eJLhOpO5xwA

This Vine, which is essentially a really short film, delves into a topic nobody wants to talk about. The grim reality of how quickly things can get out of hand when you’re just trying to rid your home of an unwanted spider.

https://vine.co/v/ixXzKEbD9I0

Some vines went above and beyond, demonstrating that art can exist anywhere — and that some people have a lot of extra time. This one was recognized by the Tribeca Film Festival.

https://vine.co/v/hi5LzAXaPM9

You’ll find some pretty cool optical illusions on Vine. Like this one, featuring a really cool souvenir from Paris. Is this guy a wizard?

https://vine.co/v/MKP2eeDgj21

Sometimes the best Vines are the ones that didn’t turn out how the poster originally planned. Like this guy, who just wanted to show off his impressive moves at Krispy Kreme but faced an unexpected consequence.

https://vine.co/v/hLmL2HHnzP2

Finally, don’t leave without watching the strangely soothing clip known as the first Vine ever. Uploaded by the then-CEO of Twitter on the eve of Vine’s launch, it simply features a time-lapse of a chef preparing steak tartare. Yum.

https://vine.co/v/bOIqn6rLeID

Don’t fall into despair just yet. Rumors have begun to swirl that potential buyers have approached Twitter about purchasing Vine. Only time will tell what the true fate of Vine will be, so make sure to enjoy these classic clips while you still can.

The 10 Viral Vine Trends in 2016 (So Far)

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 22:49:48 +0000

When someone says a “Vine has gone viral”, it means that a short, looped video on the Vine app (referred to simply as a “Vine”) was replayed over and over, and other spinoff videos were created using the same idea. This leads to a series of videos all with the same theme and jokes in different scenarios. These Vines often become quite famous and phrases or pieces from them get extrapolated and used frequently in the lingo of young adults and teenagers. Here are the 10 best Vine trends that have gone viral recently (see if you recognize any):

1. “… or nah?”

This is a video of a man asking a little boy if he’s “mad or nah.” The little boy yells back at him ferociously and this pattern repeats. The phrase “or nah” has come to be quite popular and is used in everyday language frequently. While the concept is funny, the original video itself is actually somewhat sad, as the boy was clearly upset.

2. The Schmoney Dance

The Schmoney Dance is a dance set to a song by the rapper Bobby Schmurda that involves twisting your upper body with your feet planted on the ground. Both the dance and song have inspired countless spinoff videos, with everyone from Bill Gates to grandfathers doing the Schmoney. Check them out! They’re actually pretty funny.

3. The Nae Nae

Similar to the Schmoney, the Nae Nae is a Vine dance that later inspired the song “Now Watch Me Whip” by Silentó. It involves waving your arm above your head in sync with music, then pushing your arm forward like you’re driving a car. This craze has become widespread, and celebrities from Odell Beckham Jr. to Matt Damon have indulged in the Nae Nae. The Nae Nae is huge at clubs and among teenage friend groups, particularly when paired with the song.

4. Just Girly Things

This Vine trend is inspired by the Tumblr “Just Girly Things” that posts pictures of girls doing things with which they are stereotypically associated. These pictures include quotes like “When you love your eyes,” or “When you feel safe with him driving.” The Vines take this to an absurd and hilarious level by featuring a picture of one of the “just girly things” with something ironic happening – for instance, a shot of the “safe driving” photo before showing a car crash.

5. Wrecking Ball

Shortly after Miley Cyrus’ music video for her single “Wrecking Ball” was released, Vine was full of parodies of people reenacting her Wrecking Ball dance. These videos include people licking foam fingers and swinging around on fake wrecking balls. These parodies are a hit because they feature a wide range of people trying to be as sexy, and downright weird, as Miley.

6. “WHAT ARE THOSE?”

This is another phrase that has been fully adopted into the everyday lexicon of millennials. The original Vine video involves a guy pointing to a police officer’s shoes and screaming “WHAT ARE THOSE?” This was funny enough for endless parodies to be created with different people asking that one famous question on repeat. Personally, these videos are funniest when the subject is completely befuddled, like the police officer was in the original Vine.

7. “A Potato Flew Around My Room” Song

This Vine is my personal favorite and a spoof of the song “Thinkin Bout You” by Frank Ocean. There’s a lyric in the song that reads “A tornado flew around my room,” but, you guessed it, the spoof comes from replacing the word ‘tornado’ with the word ‘potato’. These videos often feature a potato tied to a ceiling fan and literally flying around the room. This trend is also tagged in nearly every video featuring potatoes or potato chips.

8. Pears

The original video “I eat pears” features hip hop artist Rick Ross explaining how he loves to eat pears in his diet. This phrase gained special attention because of how distinctly Ross pronounced the “P” in “pear.” Vine users have since spoofed the video repeatedly by mimicking this sound clip.

9. “Look at all those chickens”

This clip features a little girl gesturing to a field of geese and saying “look at all those chickens.” The cute baby voice, combined with the girl misidentifying the geese as chickens, results in a joyful video ripe for parody. The Vine community has since created a multitude of different spinoffs of the video featuring everything from fried chicken to a house full of guests.

10. “What’s 9+10?”

Hint: in this video, it isn’t 19. This Vine features a boy being asked to add these two numbers and giving the answer “21.” This leads to the cameraman (presumably his brother) calling him stupid. Good luck not second guessing the answer next time you do simple addition if you watch this one too many times.