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Blog post #1 “A Gift from the Interwebs” and other articles and videos

Viral articles and videos on the web gain a lot of attention in our times and can in most cases push the main characters into web stardom. What I found to be the main issue in the articles and video links was the idea of going, well, “viral.” What I think the definition of viral is, is: being launched from anonymity into super focus by social media. This is my definition, and might be similar to definitions by others, because what happens when someone goes “Viral” is that they are suddenly known by thousands or even millions of web users and sometimes even those who do not participate in social media. But although stardom is nice to imagine, everything comes with its risks. I would say that an individual’s privacy and image could be at stake in cases such as the “Dayum” video or Marilyn Hagerty’s olive garden review. When they go viral, media attention is turned in their direction and when the media reports news, they are essentially representatives for the people involved in the news. If the people are misrepresented, their image is changed and is threatened along with their privacy because of a newfound interest in their story, as incited by the media. What I learned from reading these articles and watching these videos are that everything comes with good and bad sides. Whether it be going viral or just simply eating an extremely delicious but also fattening cupcake, there are two sides to any situation and they are often very hard to balance.

2 responses so far

2 Responses to “Blog post #1 “A Gift from the Interwebs” and other articles and videos”

  1. Chaya Levertonon Aug 28th 2012 at 8:06 am

    I like how you point out how media reporters become “representatives for the people involved in the news.” It’s a point to ponder. Something as seemingly harmless as uploading a humorous video to a social media website can actually, as you explained, throw you into the spotlight and invite the dangers of misrepresentation. You basically become public property, and you are at the mercy of the media and reporters covering your story. And since the media usually has its own interests at heart, you are in danger of exploitation.

  2. Pessia Gon Aug 28th 2012 at 10:38 am

    I agree that people should be more aware of what will happen to them if they reach online stardom. Just as famous actors and athletes are under constant public scrutiny, your 3 minute video can be subject to a barrage of criticism. People should really think before they post because once it’s out there, it’s out there.

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