Giphy: the exclusive gif platform for the blue mainstream media

This is something that crosses my mind often, but I wasn’t sure it was worth addressing it because I don’t know if anyone’s already aware, cares, or might perceive me as bothered, since this post is related to what interests me.

If you’re a regular content creator used to animated digital art you’d love seeing them hosted by a platform, with a attractive and easy interface, that can bring visibility to your work by sharing it on popular micro blogging apps, right? 

That platform, in my opinion, would be Giphy – partly. There you can upload gifs and stickers and see them on IG stories, for example. Also their UI is amazing. Pretty easy to read and navigate. They let you edit and delete what you create/upload whenever you want.

I decided to upload some images in hopes to be well received, but nothing happened. I thought I read the rules and terms of service entirety, so even after two weeks I still waited thinking I needed an email to confirm my domain/address or something.

A month has passed, and instead of emailing the team I searched the reason why I wasn’t getting any traction, only to find out, outside of their rules and terms of service pages, that you need to be verified in order for your GIFs and stickers to get more visibility. 

So basically the platform is a Google Photos for non verified users. Now the main page started to make sense to me. All they were pushing were industry artists GIFs and tv networks profiles.

Well, I get determined to delete my account permanently and I noticed the settings option was not there. It took me 3 programs, 2 days, and 1 link to do it. I was so relieved because I felt like I was trapped in that platform.

Recently I decided to learn more about the company and I’m surprised by the news that it was acquired by who? – Facebook! I was ashamed, repulsed, and disappointed: ashamed because unfortunately I depend on one of their parent companies; repulsed knowing that Facebook is a unethical, invasive, fraudulent company; and disappointed since the platform could be for the people and had a lot of potential.

I mean, I am not shocked, but it saddens me that these companies are selling themselves to these bigger entities, that later defunct them, and don’t have the best interest for the users.

Their (and others) monopolization is killing the alternatives one can have when it comes to goods and services because they are greedy. We’re the ones being compromised because our information is at risk. Our information is clouded, in sync, and can be lost if we don’t comply somehow.

You can’t make a platform popular without these labels and tv networks ruining all the fun. It’s sad. Even if you find something better, how many regular people one can convince to switch from the most popular platform? For the cycle to repeat, again? You can’t be safe in these servers, I swear.