The internet can make or mar you. However, if properly deployed, you can become an instant internet sensation. Interestingly, it social media that is driving this new found conferment of celebrity status cutting across the globe on ordinary individuals. This is done via viral pictures and videos on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Vimeo and YouTube among others. These viral posts have also led governments to take action.
Innovation Village identifies people made famous by the World Wide web.
Afghan boy gets real Messi shirt
Much of the news from Afghanistan is negative. headlines like bomb-blast, terrorism, and bloodshed are the news report that emerges from the country. It was different and perhaps a surprise to many when the picture of five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi wearing a homemade shirt bearing Lionel Messi’s favourite number 10 went viral.
This sparked and instant internet search the Afghan boy. He got his wish as Lionel Messi sent him two autographed shirts and a signed ball via the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF). Dreams come true.
Gangnam style video by Psy watched more than 2 billion times
Have you ever heard of a music artist style Psy (Park Jae-Sang)? You may not know him. But you will always remember the Gangnam style music video. The South Korean-born artist never thought that the video will smash the internet. Premiered in 2012, the music video, ‘pokes fun at the style of Seoul’s Gangnam-gu, a flashy district with high rents, high expectations, and a focus on the high status. in 2012. The YouTube video was the first to hit 1 billion views. And as at May 2016, the number of views is 2.57 billion. staggering!
Photo of Woman breastfeeding her baby at graduation
When Karlesha Thurman photo breastfeeding her baby on the day of her college graduation, she never that never taught that it will boil over to become a national controversy about breastfeeding and race. Even though the accounting graduate of California State University was lambasted for the picture, she was proud to breastfeed her baby.
Clock boy gets arrested
Ahmed Mohamed a Muslim boy who attended high school in Irving Texas received the shock of his life when he got arrested and handcuffed by the police. What happened? He presented a digital clock he made from a pencil to his teacher. The teacher thought it was a bomb and called in the police. It led to the #iStandWithAhmed. The viral story even got the attention of @Potus who invited him to the White House. Nothing is hidden in the social media world.
#BringBackOurGirls
On 14 April 2014, there were reports that the deadly group Boko Haram kidnapped 270 school girls from the Chibok Government Secondary School. About 50 escaped and 230 are still unaccounted for. The laggard reaction of the government of the day led to the #BringBackOurGirls which sort to bring worldwide attention to the kidnapped girls and also to ensure their safe return. The campaign also shone the spotlight on the plight of women in Nigeria. The twitter campaign attracted Michelle Obama (@Flotus) who held up a card displaying the hashtag. The #BringBackOurGirls have now become a full blown organization pressuring the government to rescue the girls. As a result, two of the girls have been found. The campaign is spearheaded by Obiageli Ezekwesili, and Aisha Yusuf et al.
