Path has launched a new app called Kong, for creating animated selfies

Love them or hate them, selfies are embedded into our camera-loving culture. Now social network Path is releasing an app called Kong to help you make and share looping selfie GIFs.

When you first log in to the app, you’ll be presented with a grid of selfies shared by the people you follow and a shutter button at the bottom of the screen that allows you to create your own.

Like Snapchat, you can add text, emojis and filters to your images, but you do these before recording rather than after.

You can then share the images with other members on Kong, but you can also save the moment as a GIF of video to share through other networks like Facebook, Twitter or Instragram as well as more old-school methods like SMS or email.

As you might expect, you’re able to categorize these images with the usual hashtags, as well as explore a variety of channels. Kong differentiates itself from other platforms, however, in that it only allows you to feature one of your images at a time in any singular channel, which should help lessen spam and bland content.

You can create new channels by posting a new image with an unused hashtag. These can be private or public. If you want to join a private channel, however, you’ll need an invite.

Of course, getting started on a new social network can be like wandering a wasteland if you don’t know anyone, so Kong starts out by recommending users based on your contact list, including friends already using the app and people who you could know but haven’t added as a contact.

Kong is rolling out for iOS and Android today. There’s even an Apple Watch app available too.

➤ Introducing Kong – A new way to play with your selfie. [Path Blog]

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