I believe all of us here at Eastern are old enough to be familiar with the Vine app. For those who might not be, Vine was a social media app established in 2012 that allowed users to share six second video clips online. It did not take long for the app to gain a huge following, and in just one year it garnered over 100 monthly users worldwide. This social media giant held its place as one of the biggest social media platforms for a little over a year, but just as quickly as it rose to popularity, the app died shortly after when instagram launched its video sharing feature in June of 2013.
In September 2017, a new video sharing app was launched, TikTok. It included a lot of similar features that Vine had, such as being a video exclusive app and allowing users to edit their videos. This time however, instead of six second videos, users were able to upload thirty second videos while incorporating the sound feature. For those who are not familiar with the sound feature, this allows users to take a popular audio and place it over their video. The two compare in various aspects in function, but which one was better?
As millennials and older Gen Z adults, we are all apart of the giant inside joke of vine references. Even today, we still hear a multitude of these references, with one of my favorites being “Road work ahead? I sure hope it does!” This, along with hundreds of other quotes have been engrained into the back of our heads. Why? Because they are simple and short. The simplicity of Vine has made these quotes easy to remember and still remain iconic after almost a decade later. TikTok on the other hand, does not include short and simple quotes. Rather, it seems as if the users are taking already existing audios and just creating video trends or challenges out of them. We reference TikTok just as much as we reference Vine, but how many of those sounds are actually produced by a creator, rather than a movie or a song? I have to say, TikTok lacks originality in this aspect when it comes to creative content.
Aside from memes and trends, Vine and TikTok are very similar in nature. Although both platforms were used for sharing videos, TikTok seems far more advanced when it comes to the production behind these posts. TikTok allows users to use special effects such as a green screen or interactive games within their videos. The app also includes beauty effects such as makeup filters so users can change their appearances as they like. It is clear that TikTok excels in overall function and aesthetic as Vine videos were often uncut and without filters.
Although Vine and TikTok are very similar yet different in nature, there is no clear say in which is better. One may argue that Vine is better because it is more iconic, while others may argue that TikTok is better based on the features that the app provides. Although some may argue that one is better than the other, it is safe to say that Vine was the iconic blueprint, opening the door for modern day video sharing apps, while TikTok is the newest, best, big thing, as it incorporates newer features in its app everyday.