The short-form video platform Vine, shuttered by Twitter in 2016, is making a comeback under a new name: Divine. Funded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and developed by former Twitter employee Evan Henshaw-Plath, the app seeks to revive the six-second video loop format while aggressively combating the rise of AI-generated content.
The Return of a Legacy
Divine will launch with a library of over 100,000 archived Vine videos, offering users a nostalgic trip back to the platform that once dominated the early social media landscape. However, the new app’s defining feature is its strict stance against artificial intelligence.
Fighting ‘AI Slop’
The press release makes it clear: Divine will flag and block suspected AI-generated content. This move is a direct response to the growing problem of indistinguishable AI-produced videos flooding mainstream social media, where tagging requirements are frequently ignored or unenforced.
“With AI-produced content fast becoming indistinguishable from regular content… Divine has been designed to bring back the days of ‘real content made by real people.’”
A Human-First Approach
Henshaw-Plath emphasized his desire for Divine to foster genuine human connection, free from algorithmic manipulation and invasive advertising. He views the app as a counterpoint to the current social media ecosystem, which he describes as a “dystopia.” His Medium post titled “We Deserve Better: A New Social Media Bill of Rights” outlines his vision for a more ethical social media future.
Decentralized Funding
Dorsey’s funding comes through his non-profit, And Other Stuff, which supports projects exploring “permissionless protocols” that resist corporate control. This means Divine is designed to be resilient against arbitrary shutdowns, unlike its predecessor under Twitter ownership.
The revival of Vine as Divine isn’t just a tech reboot: it’s a statement on the future of social media. By explicitly rejecting AI-generated content, the platform signals a demand for authenticity and human connection in an increasingly synthetic digital world.
