In 2023, a short clip of a woman eating a raw salad while listening to a sea shanty garnered over 50 million views. Simultaneously, a shaky, 15-second cellphone video of a police incident became the primary piece of evidence in a national debate about accountability. These two artifacts—one banal, one grave—share a common origin story: the viral video. Since the dawn of the social web, moving images have held a privileged status, but the contemporary viral video is a unique phenomenon, distinct from simply “popular” television clips or user-generated content (UGC). It is defined by its rapid, exponential diffusion across heterogeneous social networks and, crucially, by the discursive wake it leaves behind.
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This paper will proceed in six parts. First, we review the theoretical frameworks for understanding virality. Second, we dissect the role of platform affordances. Third, we analyze the lifecycle of a viral event. Fourth, we examine the discursive practices of social media audiences. Fifth, we confront the pathologies of virality. We conclude with recommendations for future research and critical media consumption. In 2023, a short clip of a woman
The discussion has left the video. Now, we discuss the discussion of the video. It’s turtles all the way down. Since the dawn of the social web, moving
The video is reposted (often without attribution) to a second platform. A TikTok video is screen-recorded and posted to Twitter (X). A YouTube clip is clipped and shared on Instagram Reels. This is the most critical phase for discussion. In this transition, the video is decontextualized. The original caption is lost; the creator’s name is scrubbed. A new audience imposes its own norms. On Twitter, users will “quote-tweet” the video with hot takes. On Reddit, a new thread will dissect its authenticity.
While there's no guaranteed formula for creating a viral video, research suggests that certain factors contribute to a video's virality. These include:
