Remember Vine? The short-form, video-sharing app is making a comeback in a new avatar

In the 2010s, short-form videos were a novelty, and Vine was considered hip among young users. However, in 2026, the app experienced a surprise resurgence, catching many off guard. Divine, a spiritual successor to Vine, emerged after months of beta testing. The new platform enables users to craft and disseminate six-second looping videos, reminiscent of Vine's original format.

Divine is not directly linked to the original Vine, which was owned by X, previously known as Twitter. Nonetheless, it draws inspiration from the earlier app. The brainchild of Jack Dorsey’s nonprofit, "and Other Stuff," Divine is supported by experimental open-source initiatives aimed at reshaping social media. Evan Henshaw-Plath, an early Twitter employee and Divine's founder (known by the pseudonym Rabble), spearheads the project.

As of now, Divine boasts over two million original Vine videos. Operating on the decentralized Nostr system, the app is not under the control of a single entity. This means users can potentially migrate their accounts and content to other Nostr-based services, similar to how platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon function.

Distinct from other short-form video creation and sharing apps, Divine has a stringent policy against AI-generated content. The platform mandates that all videos must be recorded live within the app rather than uploaded from outside sources. Divine also employs a verification tool called ProofMode, functioning like a digital receipt for media. The app's launch evokes memories of Vine, once hailed as a pioneer of short-form video before Instagram and TikTok took the social media world by storm.

Twitter acquired Vine Labs, the New York-based startup behind Vine, in 2012. At its zenith, Vine attracted approximately 100 million viewers each month, generating 1.5 billion daily video loops. However, in 2017, Twitter decided to discontinue Vine as part of cost-cutting measures and headcount reduction. Before its shutdown, Vine had already been grappling with dwindling user numbers, as Twitter integrated video sharing directly into its main mobile apps and experimented with live video through Periscope.

Recently, there has been significant buzz around reviving older social media platforms that once dominated the scene. MySpace, co-founded by Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe in 2003, is staging a comeback, according to recent revelations. Acquired by the Vanderhook brothers in 2011, MySpace was renowned for its distinctive interface, customizable profiles, fun designs, and its iconic first friend, Tom.

In 2008, MySpace saw about 115 million monthly visitors, but it was eventually surpassed by Facebook, which would later become the social media giant it is today.