January 17th marks a pivotal moment in history. It is the birthdate of several pivotal figures, including the late great Muhammad Ali, American treasure Betty White, and the outgoing (and best dancing) First Lady Michelle Obama. It’s also my dear mother’s birthday💗. But this particular week, it also marked the last day of operation for Vine. The short-lived platform for looping six-second videos debuted in 2012 to a mixture of disbelief, confusion, and outright ridicule. What could creators possibly make that would dazzle audiences in such a short timeframe? Within a few years, however the platform had morphed into its own beast, a quickfire arena for a diverse range of musicians, visual effects wizards and comedians. At its best, Vine would anoint a new generation of new media celebrities and become a coveted acquisition for Twitter. Of course, as with all new things, the luster eventually faded, with loops dwindling as many of the top Vine stars jumped ship to Instagram and YouTube. Nevertheless, for four short years Vine burned bright, turning high schoolers into household names, confounding old people, and providing hours of mind-numbing entertainment, all six seconds at a time.
