Benedict Townsend

Pandora's box was open, and chaos, not the fun, spontaneous kind, but the slightly more scary kind, now reigned. The vine you knew, the scrappy underdog of creativity, that was gone, replaced by a ruthless, cutthroat ecosystem where survival meant playing the game. And for those who refused, well, the game played them.

Pandora's box was open, and chaos, not the fun, spontaneous kind, but the slightly more scary kind, now reigned. The vine you knew, the scrappy underdog of creativity, that was gone, replaced by a ruthless, cutthroat ecosystem where survival meant playing the game. And for those who refused, well, the game played them.

And as creators fought to outshine each other, their frustrations started to shift to a much bigger opponent— Vine itself. Vine is probably the best job and the worst job I'll ever have. But hey, it wasn't all bad. Unless you were a founder of Vine, because things were about to get really messy.

And as creators fought to outshine each other, their frustrations started to shift to a much bigger opponent— Vine itself. Vine is probably the best job and the worst job I'll ever have. But hey, it wasn't all bad. Unless you were a founder of Vine, because things were about to get really messy.

Next time, the Vine mafia tightens its grip. Creators turn against the empire and, plot twist, the empire starts eating itself. Oh, and the app's leadership? Let's just say their six seconds at the top was running out. and fast.

Next time, the Vine mafia tightens its grip. Creators turn against the empire and, plot twist, the empire starts eating itself. Oh, and the app's leadership? Let's just say their six seconds at the top was running out. and fast.

I hope you're still with us, because this marble hasn't even hit the bucket yet. You can listen to Vine's 6 Seconds That Changed the World on Global Player. Download it from the App Store or go to globalplayer.com. Vine's 6 Seconds That Changed the World is a Global Original podcast, created and hosted by me, Benedict Townsend, and produced by my co-creator, Mary Goodheart.

I hope you're still with us, because this marble hasn't even hit the bucket yet. You can listen to Vine's 6 Seconds That Changed the World on Global Player. Download it from the App Store or go to globalplayer.com. Vine's 6 Seconds That Changed the World is a Global Original podcast, created and hosted by me, Benedict Townsend, and produced by my co-creator, Mary Goodheart.

Narrative and creative by producer Kevya Cardoso, score and sound design by Patrick Lee, and mix by Chris James. Sophie Snelling is the executive producer, Al Riddell is head of factual podcasts, and Vicky Etchells is director of podcasts at Global. This is a Global Player original podcast.

Narrative and creative by producer Kevya Cardoso, score and sound design by Patrick Lee, and mix by Chris James. Sophie Snelling is the executive producer, Al Riddell is head of factual podcasts, and Vicky Etchells is director of podcasts at Global. This is a Global Player original podcast.

This is a Global Player original podcast. It's a bright day in Los Angeles, California, in autumn 2015. And in a building just a stone's throw from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a meeting is about to change the course of history. It's taking place in the conference room of an apartment block where a group of online creators live and make videos together. The address? 1600 Vine Street.

This is a Global Player original podcast. It's a bright day in Los Angeles, California, in autumn 2015. And in a building just a stone's throw from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a meeting is about to change the course of history. It's taking place in the conference room of an apartment block where a group of online creators live and make videos together. The address? 1600 Vine Street.

The name is no coincidence. The 18 people in this room are Vine's biggest stars, the most popular faces of a platform that, though none of them realise it yet, is just months away from total collapse.

The name is no coincidence. The 18 people in this room are Vine's biggest stars, the most popular faces of a platform that, though none of them realise it yet, is just months away from total collapse.

If you were anywhere online in the 2010s, you'd probably recognise the building, when its modern apartments overlooking public courtyards with views of Hollywood were the backdrop to the internet's most viral videos. And you definitely recognize a few of the people in the room. A tight-knit crew of attractive, barely 20-somethings, known for cross-posting videos of pranks and sketch comedy.

If you were anywhere online in the 2010s, you'd probably recognise the building, when its modern apartments overlooking public courtyards with views of Hollywood were the backdrop to the internet's most viral videos. And you definitely recognize a few of the people in the room. A tight-knit crew of attractive, barely 20-somethings, known for cross-posting videos of pranks and sketch comedy.

Sure, most of us were uploading dumb homemade videos back then, but the 1600 Viners, spearheaded by two shaggy-haired brothers named Logan and Jake Paul, turned it into a business.

Sure, most of us were uploading dumb homemade videos back then, but the 1600 Viners, spearheaded by two shaggy-haired brothers named Logan and Jake Paul, turned it into a business.

Yep, that's the same Jake Paul who boxed Mike Tyson last November in what was the most streamed sporting event in history. He reportedly earned over $40 million for that. Declaring your winner by unanimous decision, Jake Paul! The Paul brothers remain two of the biggest social media influencers in the world, and it was the frat house ecosystem they built on 1600 Vine Street that started it all.

Yep, that's the same Jake Paul who boxed Mike Tyson last November in what was the most streamed sporting event in history. He reportedly earned over $40 million for that. Declaring your winner by unanimous decision, Jake Paul! The Paul brothers remain two of the biggest social media influencers in the world, and it was the frat house ecosystem they built on 1600 Vine Street that started it all.