X (formerly Twitter) is considering allowing users to add animated GIFs to their profile pictures, according to a poll conducted by designer Andrea Conway, who works for the site. The poll, which has received over 13,000 votes, revealed that 73% of users are in favor of animated GIFs for profile pics.
In 2013, Twitter banned GIF profiles, but those with existing GIF avatars were allowed to keep them. Over the years, the number of users with animated GIF avatars has dwindled, with many accounts becoming inactive or changing their profile picture.
Despite the decline, there are still a few users who hold on to their animated GIF avatars. One of them is Pierre Herubel, who cherishes his flashy avatar of pulsating rainbow balloons. He admits that caring about Twitter may seem pathetic, especially as the platform falls into irrelevance and faces criticism for its content.
Pierre also mentioned that he receives frequent direct messages from strangers asking how he got his animated GIF avatar. He jokes about being part of a group chat with 20 other users who still cling to their GIF profile pictures.
Some users in the group chat expressed mixed feelings about the possibility of animated GIF avatars becoming available to everyone. One user with an avatar of a shirtless David Hasselhoff stated that it would cause personal trauma, while another user with a giggling pink blob avatar finds joy in lying to people about how they obtained it.
Despite the excitement among some users, Pierre believes that a feed full of animated avatars would be annoying. He hopes that X doesn’t allow them, as it would further degrade the platform’s appearance. X has already faced criticism for removing headlines from links and hiding ad labeling.
There is speculation that if X allows animated profile photos, they may only be available to X Premium subscribers. This would give a new meaning to having a GIF avatar and could potentially lead to legal issues. One user with a flashing spaceman suit GIF mentioned the possibility of suing for defamation if forced to associate with X Premium.
In conclusion, the potential addition of animated GIF avatars for X users has sparked interest and mixed opinions among the community. While some users are excited about the prospect, others express concerns about the impact on the platform’s appearance. Only time will tell if X decides to implement this feature and how it will be received by users.
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