Benedict Townsend

So there were conversations at Vine. They maybe didn't go very far, but there were conversations at Vine about should we bother with this lip syncing thing?

So there were conversations at Vine. They maybe didn't go very far, but there were conversations at Vine about should we bother with this lip syncing thing?

It's difficult to imagine any social platform these days ever choosing not to pursue a potentially popular feature because they thought it was too vapid or too uncreative. It's another example of the Vine team putting their own creative sensibilities ahead of profit-led decision-making. If Vine had gone all in on lip-syncing, would it have survived to this day?

It's difficult to imagine any social platform these days ever choosing not to pursue a potentially popular feature because they thought it was too vapid or too uncreative. It's another example of the Vine team putting their own creative sensibilities ahead of profit-led decision-making. If Vine had gone all in on lip-syncing, would it have survived to this day?

Or, with the great wisdom of hindsight, did they kind of do themselves a favour by not clinging on? In a way, Russ's aversion to lip-syncing has been partly vindicated. No one considers that era of the internet as particularly iconic.

Or, with the great wisdom of hindsight, did they kind of do themselves a favour by not clinging on? In a way, Russ's aversion to lip-syncing has been partly vindicated. No one considers that era of the internet as particularly iconic.

Just before I say goodbye to Russ, he drops a wild alternate history where Vine is bought back by its creator, the prodigal son returning into the fold.

Just before I say goodbye to Russ, he drops a wild alternate history where Vine is bought back by its creator, the prodigal son returning into the fold.

I don't think I've heard that before about you possibly trying to buy it. Can you very quickly run us through the tale of you trying to buy it back?

I don't think I've heard that before about you possibly trying to buy it. Can you very quickly run us through the tale of you trying to buy it back?

Yeah. Yeah. Exclusive.

Yeah. Yeah. Exclusive.

Was that a bit of a bummer for you?

Was that a bit of a bummer for you?

I think that brings us to the end. I'm just going to check. Mary, is there anything you want to jump in with?

I think that brings us to the end. I'm just going to check. Mary, is there anything you want to jump in with?

So was Vine dying in a quick and timely manner the best thing that ever happened to it? For Jasmeet Raina, it was a case of getting out while the going was good.

So was Vine dying in a quick and timely manner the best thing that ever happened to it? For Jasmeet Raina, it was a case of getting out while the going was good.

Is Jasmine right? If Vine had survived, would it have simply devolved into yet another social media site that users love to hate? Taylor Lorenz seems to think so.

Is Jasmine right? If Vine had survived, would it have simply devolved into yet another social media site that users love to hate? Taylor Lorenz seems to think so.