Gfycat.com, a well-known website for posting animated GIFs, has made the unexpected news that it would close on September 1, 2023. Millions of people are now anxious about what will happen to the content they have posted, and there are also doubts about the viability of sharing animated GIFs online in the future. This essay will examine alternate sites for GIF fans as well as the specifics around the shutdown and the firms involved.
Credits: ghacks
The Shutdown Announcement:
The website gfycat.com, launched more than eight years ago, is now frequently used by internet users to upload and share animated GIFs. However, the business said that the Gfycat service will end in an official announcement. By accessing the website and logging into their accounts, users are encouraged to save or delete their Gfycat content. All content and data will be completely wiped beginning on September 1, 2023.
Impact on Users and Content:
Gfycat.com’s current users have till September 1 to protect their uploaded GIFs. All information will be deleted from the company’s servers after the shutdown, making it unreachable. This results in broken visual content for any embedded GIFs on third-party websites, which will display an error message. Uploaders are asked to extract their GIFs and move them to alternative platforms while modifying the embed codes to lessen this impact.
Companies Involved:
After Snap, the parent firm of Snapchat, acquired Gfycat.com last year, there were higher hopes for the platform’s expansion and fusion with Snapchat’s offerings. The closure of Gfycat has not, however, been officially announced by Snap. Users are now questioning what Snap’s future intentions are for hosting and sharing animated GIFs in light of this surprise change.
It’s also important to note that the 2019 Gfycat adult content prohibition resulted in the development of a different site called redgifs. The market for GIF hosting platforms became even more complicated as this service was later sold to another business.
The Meta-Giphy Connection:
The closure of Gfycat.com reminds us of Facebook’s parent company Meta’s failed attempt to acquire Giphy. Because of regulatory obstacles, Meta was unable to purchase Giphy and was forced to sell the business to Shutterstock at a huge loss of $260 million. The Meta-Giphy case shows the difficulties that businesses in the animated GIF sector encounter and emphasises the escalating rivalry and consolidation in this market.
Exploring Alternative Platforms:
With the impending closure of Gfycat.com, users are left searching for viable alternatives. Fortunately, several platforms can fill the void left by Gfycat’s departure:
- Giphy: Despite being acquired by Shutterstock, Giphy remains a prominent and widely used platform for uploading and sharing animated GIFs. It continues to be accessible on the internet.
- Imgur: As one of the oldest standing sites for image and GIF hosting, Imgur provides a reliable platform for users to upload and share their animated content.
- Kikliko: Setting itself apart with its support for animated GIFs with sounds, Kikliko offers a unique experience for GIF enthusiasts.
- Tenor: Another popular platform, Tenor allows users to upload animated GIFs and embed them seamlessly into third-party sites.
Conclusion:
Millions of users who depended on Gfycat.com for animated GIF sharing have been shocked by the site’s scheduled shutdown on September 1, 2023, which has shocked the internet community. Users are urged to take action before the shutdown date in order to protect their content, even though Snap’s objectives and the precise reasons for the closure are still unknown. Alternative platforms like Giphy, Imgur, Kikliko, and Tenor provide users looking for new homes for their animated creations with viable options in this altering landscape. It will be interesting to see how these platforms change as the animated GIF market develops and how that will affect how GIFs are shared online in the future.
