How long does it take to become famous these days? A lot less time than it used to. Thanks to the Internet, anyone can become an overnight sensation. But, not everyone can.
As YouTube's trend manager Kevin Allocca points out in a TEDYouth talk, double rainbow, Nyan Cat, the Friday video and the ticket-protesting NYC cyclist stand apart from the glut of YouTube videos because we put them there. Yes, if you watched Yosemite Bear's blissed-out reaction to seeing a double rainbow, or Psy's "Gangham Style" video, you played a hand in making them famous and shaping pop culture for better…or worse, depending on your outlook.
Allocca talks about the three reasons videos go viral, including the all-important participatory aspect, where we all become part of the sensation by sharing and remixing it. The big takeaway is that media is now a participatory affair and the future of entertainment will be determined by you and me.
