Google+ Adds Support For Animated GIF Profile Pictures

A quick search will show endless Facebook users seeking out ways to use animated GIFs as their profile picture, and while that social network still doesn't allow it, Google+ has stepped forward to fill that void. As of today, users of Google's social network can now set animated GIFs as their profile picture, which plays on the account's banner when the page is being viewed.

Not surprisingly, this change immediately makes one think of MySpace, and thinking about MySpace naturally results in a cringe or two. While Google+ is an entirely different beast, the addition of tiny infinitely-repeating animated squares has been called by more than one user as the "Myspaceification" of Google's social network.

Some users are happy about the new feature, taking advantage of it to post animated snippets of themselves in various states as an avatar 2.0 kind of deal. Others, however, are expressing displeasure at the change, stating that animated profile pictures are distracting and ugly, and detract from the Google+ experience.

Google has directed users towards a Google search on "How to make a GIF" to encourage users to make their own. If you're interested, several GIF makers are available online that make the process simple, such as Gickr. What do you say? Are animated GIFs a good move, or does it make things a little too MySpace-ish?

[via Google+]