What happened to Vine? Viral post alleges once popular video sharing app was banned following TikTok ban in US

Amid the TikTok ban, the once popular video-sharing app Vine began to trend on X, with many urging to bring back the app. One viral post mourned the loss of TikTok, alleging multiple popular social media apps were banned lately, including Vine. However, it should be noted Vine was not banned.

Vine, founded by American entrepreneurs Dom Hofmann, Rus Yusupov, and Colin Kroll, was a six-second format video-sharing app that took off in 2013. Vine was officially shut down in January 2017 after facing stagnating user growth and mounting financial pressures. Twitter, which had acquired Vine, made the tough decision to discontinue it.

Several creators expressed frustration, feeling that Twitter could have done more to sustain Vine. They believed that with better support, solutions to monetization concerns, and stronger leadership, Vine could have remained a dominant, American-based platform in the social media landscape.

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The viral post that prompted Vine discussions

As many users continue to share disgruntlement over the TikTok ban, in a now-viral post on X, one user commented:

“Vine has been banned... Musically has been banned... Tik tok has been banned... lemon8 has been banned. Me knowing rednote got my back:"

Some comments on the post call it out for its inaccuracy. One user wrote:

"Vine wasn’t banned "🤦🏽‍♂️

Another questioned:

"Vine banned?"

Sprinkling some facts into the conversation, an X user said:

"Musically wasnt banned, it was bought by bytedance and turning into tiktok, i think i still have an old video or two of mine with the old logo before it turned lmaoo"

"Vine wasnt banned, Tiktok is musically.," chimed in another.

"Vine was banned? I thought they just went out of business. I thought Musically was bought up by TikTok.," stated another user.

Sharing a screenshot of the inaccuracy of the viral post, one person commented:

"Bro wanna get spied on by the Chinese again instead of being chill and using instagram reels"

One user noted:

"I think it's time to rebrand and create our own social media platform. Who's with me on Lemon8?"

The sudden ban on TikTok in the U.S. has reignited conversations about past and present short-video platforms, with Vine taking center stage in trending discussions on X. While many users vented their frustration about the TikTok ban, others mistakenly included Vine in the list of “banned” apps. However, Vine’s closure was due to business challenges, not government intervention.

As users continue mourning TikTok’s absence and debating the fate of platforms like Vine, many are turning to alternatives like Instagram Reels or exploring lesser-known apps like Lemon8.