have the best types and most representative gifs across all types of interests. >> after this racist meme found its way onto the platform the company had to make changes. >> how did that happen? >> that was a bug in our moderation filters. when we were alerted to that piece of content we took it down immediately, within minutes. and then we did an entire review of our entire moderation system. >> people can't get into your system if they're putting out racially charged -- >> no. >> the first gif was created 30 years ago and the first gif to go viral was the dancing baby. now there are millions of them. part of the reason, experts say, for the explosion in popularity in gifs is human impatient. scientists say the average human attention span for any one thing is 12 seconds. i mean, i never use them. does that mean i'm helplessly culturally illiterate? >> 55-year-old moms. it's pretty much universal now. i think being 46 isn't an excuse. >> what's the role?

what's the purpose of gifs? >> it really is turning into entertainment. you could send someone a huge novel of text but you could also just send this one little compact moment, this little atomic unit of entertainment and like in a second. >> are you sure, though, that the move toward shorter and shorter and shorter is an unalloyed positive? >> i think there's lots of concerns on the internet. if you think about the average time anyone's watching video online, it's actually really small. is it good or bad? i don't know yet. >> it's a massive science experiment. >> i think it's really more about the content that's being delivered. >> reporter: sheri turkel is a psychologist who studies people's relationships with technology. she thinks gifs are leading us to forget the art of real conversation. >> so gifs are a great language for some things, and they're a terrible language for others. the trouble is you start to get attached to your gifs and you can forget how much you're not communicating. >> this is actually a fake news

broadcast we did. >> reporter: adam and alex say they aren't trying to kill conversation, they're just trying to add to it. >> there are subtle, complex decisions you face all the time that i don't know that a gif is going to help you with. >> it certainly isn't to say discussing some very, very delicate nuance is going to like go out the window and get solved with a gif. maybe it will. it's totally possible. but we're not trying to replace things that are really, really useful. we're trying to add to the new ways that people are using technology. >> reporter: giphy's success has led to thousands of corporate partnerships. the nfl, netflix, comedy central. they all have their own giphy channels. >> ideally, anyone who's making really culturally relevant content, they're going to want to see it represented in gifs. >> so what's the business model here? how do you make money off of what you're talking about? >> so at our core we're a search company. paid search and promoted search is the way we run our business. >> reporter: in their studios in new york city and los angeles they have celebrities come by and create original content.

>> so you set up -- >> reporter: they even let me give it a try. >> things like that. >> peace. >> reporter: somewhat lamely. >> where would i hold it? >> this is vegan leather? if i don't like the gifs, there's going to be hell to pay. >> i'm texting my wife. where would i see it? >> reporter: but the guys still had to teach me how to text gifs to my wife. >> i can't believe i'm letting you guys take over my communication with my wife. >> i'm sorry to dan's wife. we think you're great. and you are now part of a live television show. >> reporter: i'm so gif illiterate she thought someone stole my phone. >> what is happening, she wrote. she's calling me. i'm doing a story at a company called giphy and they make gifs and we're sending you gifs. >> sorry. >> do you know about gifs? >> now you do. >> reporter: hopefully gifs will not replace books or television or, heaven forbid, actual human interaction, but they are an important part of our digital landscape and anyone including

middle-aged news anchors should know about them. for "nightline" this is dan harris in new york. and next -- a delicate truce sealed with a symbolic gift. what katy perry sent to taylor swift's dressing room to reignite their friendship. ♪ do ndo not misjudgenity quiet tranquility. with the power of 335 turbo-charged horses the lincoln mkx, more horsepower than the lexus rx350 and a quiet interior from which to admire them.

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click, call or visit a store today. because antonio villaraigosa millions got it done.healthcare he defended women's healthcare, banned military-style assault weapons, banned workplace discrimination, and more. antonio for governor.

finally tonight, stop the music and let the healing begin. peace is in the air. first this historic handshake at the north and south korean border. and now -- ♪ bad blood taylor swift announcing an end to her bad blood with fellow pop

princess katy perry revealing a gift sent to her dressing room. >> i got to my dressing room and found this actual olive branch. this means so much to me. >> that note sealed with a picture of the "chained to the rhythm's" singer's dog nugget. the note reading in part, "hey old friend. i've been doing some reflecting on past miscommunications and hurt feelings between us. also the words deeply sorry and clear the air." and now could a katy and taylor team-up be in our future? ♪ are you ready for it we're ready for it. thank you for watching "nightline." and as always, we're online on our "nightline" facebook page. thanks for the company, america. good night.

i'm a journalist. -i am a singer. a businesswoman. -i am an artist. an educator. -a sister. an advocate. -a leader. a queen. -i am a friend. i am... i am one of more than a million people living with hiv in the u.s. we are not alone.

breaking news, three american men get their freedom back tonight. >> and any minute now they're expected to land at joint base andrews. let's take a live look now at the military airport in maryland where the president, first lady and vice president are waiting to greet the freed prisoners. >> north korea released them as gesture of good will before meeting with president trump and kim jong un. >> any moment now the president is expected to leave the white house for joint base andrews. this release of these prisoners, symbolic and a victory for the president ahead of his summit

with dictator kim jong-un. >> welcoming three detainees from north korea. >> represents something important to this country. >> reporter: landing in alaska before meeting with mike pompeo, president trump tweeting, i will be there to greet them. very exciting. >> and i appreciate kim jong-un doing this. >> reporter: status of the prisoners was considered an obstacle ahead of the upcoming summit. from the white house president said the location of the meeting is set, announced in three days. >> will it be the dmz? >> it will not. >> reporter: president cautiously optimistic about denuclearizing the korean penin

la. >> lot can happen, good things and bad. >> reporter: saying would rather have successful mission than nobel prize. >> prooize i want is victory fo the world. >> president trump is expecting to leave the white house with the first lady any moment now. live pictures as well waiting for that moment here in washington. again the ex-prisoners released a statement through the state department thanking president, secretary pompeo and people of the united states for bringing them home. reporting live, abc7 news. >> thank you kenneth. another live look. vice president mike pence as kenneth just mentioned, part of the team from the u.s. government to greet the three men as they return to the united states. two planes, one with former detainees and another with mike pompeo aboard, landed in

anchorage, alaska, en route to joint base andrews, not far from washington, d.c.. expect for trump and his wife melania to join them. detained with heavy labor in north korea. as soon as they arrive, we'll bring you live update, carry it right here. >> for now tell you about high school students in san jose recovering tonight after apparent pepper spray incident in classroom. dozen people had to be decontaminated. >> sitting on the grass, asthma, eyes burning. coughing. >> reporter: one of six people taken to the hospital after incident in high school in oak

grove, san jose, reported strange smell, having trouble breathing. moved to lawn for treatment. >> can't go to her, might be contaminated. of, what is i don't know. >> 12 decontaminated on campus, others taken to hospital. >> had friends, coughing bad, skin red. >> reporter: the school district said it believes it's pepper spray. unknown number of students left before help arrived. said they should take precautions. >> one of those students who left hears this message, shower at home, wash their clothing. if they start to experience any symptoms, call 911. >> reporter: including trouble breathing, teary eyes,

itchiness. abc7 news. ac transit bus driver arrested today for carrying a loaded gun on the job. alameda county sheriffs say that stephen williams had e-mailed supervisor saying he would carry a gun out of fear for his safety. deputy met with the driver and found a loaded pistol on his person. posted bail. new developments, released this sketch of suspect who robbed teenager of cell gunpoint, saturday in downtown palo alto, approached, demanded the phone. refused. pulled out gun, still refused. punched teenager and took his phone. vigil for student found dead in danville.

15-year-old ben curry was found at bottom of the school pool yesterday afternoon, pulled to surface but attempts to revive him failed. counsellors were at school to guide students. police still investigating how he died. sfpd officer with disturbing questions in past could be accepted to police department is raising questions. how thorough are the background checks for candidates? >> it appears that background checks don't catch everything, why this particular officer was able to slip through the cracks. >> this is the officer detailing harassment he says he experienced at the police department. >> racial and witness harassment and blatant misconduct against citizens. >> of afghan descent doesn't

want identity known. but he was suspect. said he was involved in the killing of osama bin >> all kinds of reasons they leave the police academy and could be hired somewhere else. >> teaches criminal justice at usf. every peace officer goes through state-run background check. >> if you're not arrested, police report not generated, might not pick it up on backgrounds investigation. >> according to attorney denies putting himself out there as cia agent and using aliases, saying anything about bin laden. still under investigation, internal affairs and equal opportunity employment office.

police department in central valley faces criticism after hiring new officer fired following brutality case in bay area. shawn osborne was a deputy for 20 years before losing his job in 2013. here's why, camera captured two other officers beating a man they chased. believe that osborne took a gold chain, gave to homeless couple to silence them to not tell what they saw. posted that osborne would be a school safety officer. >> not the way you want to learn about something in background. >> fired other two deputies, charged with assault in connection to the beating. earthquakes centered around

geyserville, 4.2, 4.0, and two 2.7 quakes and aftershocks since then. no reports of damage. warning that kilauea volcano could have explosions, sending rocks flying into the air to pelt areas within a half mile of the summit. lava flows destroyed 36 buildings so far. forced nearby residents to evacuate. >> feel the lava flowing under you. sitting in the living room, feel the vibration, it's strange. >> national guard is patrolling evacuated areas following report of looting. plane descends. >> people behind the controls at the time are sharing their

experience. >> first thoughts actually, here we go. >> coming up, pilot tammy tammy schultz talks about the moment she knew the plane was in trouble. dead whale in the bay has issuing warning to visitors. sandhya patel, windy and warming days ahead, with a warning. coming up. "jimmy kimmel live." >> thanks. it's all here for the taking tonight. there's a scene in the movie you speak wooky with

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breaking news in emeryville, live look at accident blocked all but two lanes, as many as six cars might be involved in the crash. no word on when all lanes reopen on westbound i-80. new details of gray whale dead in the bay, likely died after hit by boat. off angel island, the rangers

urging people to stay away. >> studying the gray whale, first spotted floating friday, by saturday the carcass washed up next oakland airport. tuesday had it towed to angel island for neck ropcy. the carcass was bruises and fractures in the skull. believe the adult female was hit by large boat. >> on inaccessible beach. >> spoke by phone from the island. place to research the whale. visitors need to stay away. >> visitors have tried to access the beach on a very steep, almost cliff-like terrain. it's not safe. >> marine mammal center hopes research will protect animals

and habitats in the future. abc7 news. two southwest airlines pilots speaking publicly first time since landing crippled jet liner safely after engine failure. hearing the challenges that they faced on april 17th. parts of the jet's left engine broke apart, shattered a window, causing loss of pressure, put on oxygen masks and described what they did next exclusively to abc7 news. >> we had to use hand signals because it was loud and it was hard to communicate for a lot of different reasons. >> one passenger jennifer reardon sadly died after partially sucked in broken window. ordered inspection of the same type of engines in the tragedy.

much more in abc news exclusive interview on "20/20," abc7. tune in for that. weather. >> gorgeous day today, little bit cooler and windier, meteorologist sandhya patel is here. >> reverse the trend but not wind. cooler to warmer, wind will increase. live doppler 7 right now. we do have high clouds passing through the bay area, breezy across some parts of the bay area, live look from east bay hills. breezy, bright, milder tomorrow. warmer into the weekend with nice conditions, changing but nice, for mother's day. wind trend into the next day or so, what is going to hap typical breeze expected into

tomorrow. afternoon/evening ramp up 25 to 30 miles an hour. which we expect around this time of year. no surprise. windier conditions are yet to come friday night. right now temperatures are pretty mild. most in the 50s, 60s, 48 degrees in los gatos, wind is holding the numbers up. high wind watch, north bay, east bay hills and santa cruz mountains. northeasterly wind, dry out fuel. if we had moisture in the fuels, higher fire danger. downed trees and power lines not out of the question. be vigilant. friday afternoon the winds kick up. friday night, calistoga, over 30-mile-an-hour winds, gusty into the wee hours of saturday morning before relaxing. because of the wind, fog will be

patchy tomorrow morning. few patches. clearing. mid-40s to mid-50s to start the day. milder afternoon. inland highs in 80s warmest spots. coast the 60s. still enough of a breeze. if you suffer from allergies, tough day. mother's planner. morning fog, 7:00 a.m., winds relax. cool to comfy at noontime. mild inland, fog at coach, breezy but not windy. download the accuweather app and follow live doppler 7 anytime you want. breezy and milder tomorrow. gusty winds in hills for friday. warming up to low 60s, mid-80s, warmer, sunday mother's day cooler. carry over to the middle of next week. overall looking fantastic.

>> thanks sandhya. all right. let's take a live look now. go outside, joint base andrews, we're awaiting the president and first lady as the three americans are finally being freed by north korea. >> vice president mike pence is there with his wife, president trump arriving any moment now to greet them. expected in within the next 10 or 15 minutes. we'll keep you updated. tomorrow

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a live look once again at joint base andrews. president trump and melania trump have just arrived to greet three americans held in north korea doing heavy labor for upwards of two years. 2:30 in the morning at joint base andrews where the greeting will take place when the americans return home. >> and will bring it live. waiting on special report. for now president and first laid