The GIF has become an integral part of internet culture. The GIF - pronounced 'jiff' according to the format's creator, but there are many people fiercely loyal to 'gif' - has helped launch many a meme. It serves as a compromise between a still image and moving video, allowing for short highlights to be captured and easily shared.

Many GIFs are sourced from YouTube videos, and a range of external sites have popped up to enable users to quickly select the moments they want and convert them to .gif format. Now it looks as if YouTube are looking to cut out the middle man.

Spotted by the eagle-eyed Andy Baio on Twitter, YouTube appears to be rolling out the ability to easily grab a GIF from selected videos. The option is very easy to use: pick the video you want, select the 'share' menu option (where you normally grab links and embed codes), choose the 'GIF' option and select the section you want to use. Not only that, but there is also the option to easily add text to your custom GIF - making meme sharing even easier.

At the moment, it looks as if the GIF option is experimental and slowly rolling out, with only a handful of channels and videos offering the option. The option is available on all of PBS Idea Channel's videos, and you can see a sample below from the channel's popular 'Are You a Hipster?' video.

If the option becomes readily available for all YouTube users, you can expect the humble GIF to further cement its place online. Feel free to rejoice or despair according to your own preferences.