Facebook acquires animated graphics start-up GIPHY
Facebook said on Friday it had acquired the animated graphics start-up GIPHY and would integrate the company in its Instagram visual social network.
The company said in a statement it had partnered with GIPHY for years and that the platform would continue to operate its library.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the news site Axios said Facebook was paying $400 million.
The statement read: “GIPHY is a platform and search engine for “stickers” and other products using the graphics interchange format or GIFs.
“GIPHY, a leader in visual expression and creation, is joining the Facebook company today as part of the Instagram team.
“GIPHY makes everyday conversations more entertaining, and so we plan to further integrate their GIF library into Instagram and our other apps so that people can find just the right way to express themselves.”
A blog from the GIPHY team said the start-up was created in 2013 “with a simple goal in mind: to make communication more fun.
“That’s why we’re thrilled to announce that GIPHY has been acquired by Facebook and is joining the team at Instagram.
“Instagram has revolutionized self-expression. More than one billion people use Instagram to communicate how they’re feeling and what they’re passionate about — we can’t wait to help those people become even more animated,” it added.