Giphy

GIPHY is a digital library and search engine for animated GIFs and short looping videos. Founded in 2013 by Alex Chung, Jace Cooke, and Adam Leibsohn, the platform quickly became a central hub for discovering and sharing animated content. GIPHY's extensive database allows users to search for GIFs based on keywords, emotions, or specific pop culture references.

The service offers various ways to engage with its content. Users can upload their own GIFs, create them from videos, or use GIPHY's tools to edit and customize existing animations. GIPHY's integration with numerous social media platforms, messaging apps, and websites, including Twitter, Facebook, and Slack, has made it a ubiquitous part of online communication. Its API is widely used by developers to embed GIF search and display functionality into their own applications.

In 2020, GIPHY was acquired by Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook, Inc.). This acquisition aimed to integrate GIPHY's vast content library and GIF-making capabilities more deeply into Meta's family of apps, such as Instagram and WhatsApp. The platform continues to operate as a standalone service while also serving as a significant content provider for Meta's social networks. GIPHY plays a notable role in modern digital culture, contributing to the widespread use of visual, short-form animated content in online conversations.