{{Short description|Person who has become famous through their use of the Internet}} {{Distinguish|Influencer}} {{pp-pc|small=yes}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
[[File:Connor Franta, Sam Pottorff, Trevor Moran, Kian Lawley, JC Caylen & Ricky Dillon (14350777487).jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Internet personalities Connor Franta, Trevi Moran, Kian Lawley, JC Caylen and Ricky Dillon at VidCon, a convention for YouTubers, in 2014]]
An '''internet personality''', also referred to as an '''internet celebrity''', is an individual who has acquired or developed their fame and notability on the Internet. The growing popularity of social media provides a means for people to reach a large, global audience, and internet personalities are commonly present on large online platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Most used social media 2021|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/|access-date=2021-08-23|website=Statista|language=en|archive-date=2019-09-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190917142233/https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/|url-status=live}}</ref> which primarily rely on user-generated content. Some internet personalities are known as social media influencers, or simply ''influencers'', due to their social influence online.
Certain internet personalities may function as lifestyle gurus promoting a particular lifestyle or attitude. In this capacity they act as key amplifiers of trends across various genres including fashion, cooking, technology, travel, video games, movies, esports, politics, music, sports, and entertainment.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Schouten|first1=Alexander P.|last2=Janssen|first2=Loes|last3=Verspaget|first3=Maegan|title=Celebrity vs. Influencer endorsements in advertising: the role of identification, credibility, and Product-Endorser fit|journal=International Journal of Advertising|issue=2|pages=258–281|doi=10.1080/02650487.2019.1634898|issn=0265-0487|year=2020|volume=39|s2cid=198608820|doi-access=free}}</ref> As part of influencer marketing, companies and organizations may enlist internet personalities to advertise their products to their fan base and followers on their respective platforms.
== History == {{Further|Influencer#History}} In 1991, the Internet and the World Wide Web became widely available, leading to the creation of numerous websites dedicated to shared interests. These forums allowed users to seek advice and help from experienced individuals in their field, increasing the availability of information beyond mainstream print media and corporate websites.<ref name="wired guide">{{cite magazine | url = https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-an-influencer/ | title = The WIRED Guide to Influencers | first = Paris | last = Martinue | date = December 6, 2019 | access-date = December 6, 2019 | magazine = Wired | archive-date = September 6, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220906181916/https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-an-influencer/ | url-status = live }}</ref> Dedicated social media platforms emerged from these developments, providing users with the ability to create profiles and connect with others. SixDegrees.com pioneered this concept in 1997.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/then-and-now-a-history-of-social-networking-sites/2/|title=Then and now: a history of social networking sites|website=CBS News|date=July 6, 2011 |access-date=2019-04-09|archive-date=2018-07-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723003553/https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/then-and-now-a-history-of-social-networking-sites/2/|url-status=live|last=Ngak|first=Chenda}}</ref> Additionally, websites supporting blogging emerged around the same time, allowing users to publish long-form articles and stories.<ref name="wired guide"/> Since then forums, social media and blogging have transformed into integral components of communication, social interaction, business and journalism. Popular social media platforms in 2019 included Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, Discord, Viber, WeChat, and WhatsApp.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/|title=Most popular social networks worldwide as of April 2019, ranked by number of active users (in millions)|date=2018-06-20|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-04-09|archive-date=2019-09-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190917142233/https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Types == Depending on their rise to fame, internet personalities may reach their audiences in different ways. Some people write journals or blogs, some make YouTube or TikTok videos, others post frequently on Instagram or Twitter (X). The Internet has made fame accessible to and attainable for the general public.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gamson |first=Joshua |date=October 2011 |title=The Unwatched Life Is Not Worth Living: The Elevation of the Ordinary in Celebrity Culture |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1632/pmla.2011.126.4.1061 |journal=Publications of the Modern Language Association of America |volume=126 |issue=4 |pages=1061–1069 |doi=10.1632/pmla.2011.126.4.1061 |s2cid=59355773 |issn=0030-8129 |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |access-date=October 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019113942/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/pmla/article/abs/unwatched-life-is-not-worth-living-the-elevation-of-the-ordinary-in-celebrity-culture/AB0199BBF38BD1BA643A54260F31F3FA |url-status=live }}</ref> In some cases, people might rise to fame through a single viral event or viral video, and become an Internet meme. For example, Zach Anner, a comedian from Austin, Texas, gained worldwide attention after submitting a video to Oprah Winfrey's "Search for the Next TV Star" competition.<ref name="The Daily Texan">{{cite web | url = http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2010/06/16/zach-anner-flattens-next-oprah-competition | title = Zach Anner flattens 'Next Oprah' competition | access-date = 2010-07-05 | last = Rich | first = Gerald | date = June 16, 2010 | work = The Daily Texan | publisher = The University of Texas at Austin | archive-date = 2013-09-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130926231628/http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2010/06/16/zach-anner-flattens-next-oprah-competition | url-status = live }}</ref> Viral videos from internet personalities could entail a funny event happening in the moment, a popular new dance, or even a post on Twitter.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bilton|first=Nick|date=2014-11-12|title=Alex From Target: The Other Side of Fame (Published 2014)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/style/alex-from-target-the-other-side-of-fame.html|access-date=2020-11-17|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=2020-11-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118231030/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/style/alex-from-target-the-other-side-of-fame.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Miltner|first1=Kate M.|last2=Highfield|first2=Tim|date=July 2017|title=Never Gonna GIF You Up: Analyzing the Cultural Significance of the Animated GIF|journal=Social Media + Society|language=en|volume=3|issue=3|pages=205630511772522|doi=10.1177/2056305117725223|s2cid=64608249|issn=2056-3051|doi-access=free|hdl=20.500.11820/f0841c5d-45bc-40e5-b4ba-f89e8c5fd847|hdl-access=free}}</ref>
=== Influencers === {{Excerpt|Influencer|only=paragraphs}}
=== Usenet personalities === {{Excerpt|Usenet personality|only=paragraphs|paragraphs=1,2}}
===YouTubers and vloggers=== {{Further|YouTuber|Vlog}} [[File:PewDiePie_at_PAX_2015_crop.jpg|thumb|upright=0.72|PewDiePie is an internet personality and the fourth most subscribed individual YouTuber. Overall, he has the ninth-most subscribed YouTube channel.]] YouTube has risen as one of the biggest platforms for launching internet personalities. YouTube creators (known as YouTubers), regardless of the genres or types of videos they make, have created an industry that can generate revenue from video views and online popularity. For example, Swedish internet personality PewDiePie uploads gaming and comedy videos on YouTube. {{As of|2024|10|df=US}}, he has around 110 million subscribers and is the fourth most-subscribed non-corporation YouTuber.
Every minute, 300 hours of videos are uploaded to YouTube, and 5 billion videos are watched every day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://videonitch.com/2017/12/13/36-mind-blowing-youtube-facts-figures-statistics-2017-re-post/|title=36 Mind Blowing YouTube Facts, Figures and Statistics – 2017 (re-post)|date=2017-12-13|website=Videonitch|access-date=2019-04-06|archive-date=2020-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022034534/http://videonitch.com/2017/12/13/36-mind-blowing-youtube-facts-figures-statistics-2017-re-post/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In August 2014, ''Variety'' wrote that YouTubers are more popular than mainstream celebrities among U.S. teens.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/digital/news/survey-youtube-stars-more-popular-than-mainstream-celebs-among-u-s-teens-1201275245/|title=YouTube Stars More Popular Than Mainstream Celebs Among U.S. Teens|date=2014-08-05|website=Variety|access-date=2019-05-19|archive-date=2015-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207065234/http://variety.com/2014/digital/news/survey-youtube-stars-more-popular-than-mainstream-celebs-among-u-s-teens-1201275245/|url-status=live}}</ref> Advertisers, in an effort to reach teenagers and millennials who do not watch regular television and movies, have started contacting YouTubers and other internet personalities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2015/03/12/the-end-of-hollywood-and-the-rise-of-social-media-celebrities/|title=The end of Hollywood and the rise of social media celebrities|date=2015-03-13|website=VentureBeat|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-date=2020-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204225627/https://venturebeat.com/2015/03/12/the-end-of-hollywood-and-the-rise-of-social-media-celebrities/|url-status=live}}</ref>
YouTube's AdSense program enables creators to earn money from advertisements. AdSense has certain requirements—a YouTuber must have more than 1,000 subscribers, live in an eligible country, and have more than 4,000 hours of watch time within a year to be eligible.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://youtube-creators.googleblog.com/2018/01/additional-changes-to-youtube-partner.html|title=Additional Changes to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) to Better Protect Creators|website=YouTube Creator Blog|access-date=2019-04-10|archive-date=2019-04-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407163921/https://youtube-creators.googleblog.com/2018/01/additional-changes-to-youtube-partner.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Lifecasters === {{Further|Lifestreaming#Lifecasting}} Lifecasting is streaming continuous live video of a person's daily life. This often is in the form of first-person video from a wearable camera but can also be from cameras directed at the person or ubiquitous cameras where the person lives.
The first person to do lifecasting was Steve Mann whose experiments with wearable computing and streaming video in the early 1980s led to Mann continuously transmitted his everyday life 24 hours a day, seven days a week starting in 1994. Jennifer Ringley's JenniCam (1996–2004) attracted mass media attention, as noted by Cnet: "JenniCam, beginning in 1996, was the first really successful 'lifecasting' attempt."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gadgets/the-greatest-defunct-web-sites-and-dotcom-disasters-49296926/2/ |title="The greatest defunct web sites." Cnet, June 5, 2008. |access-date=November 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806153220/http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gadgets/the-greatest-defunct-web-sites-and-dotcom-disasters-49296926/2 |archive-date=August 6, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In early 2007, Justin Kan founded Justin.tv, a platform for live video streaming online. By the fall of 2007, Justin.tv had expanded to nearly 700 channels, generating 1,650 hours of daily programming.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-justintv3oct03,0,6145483.story?page=1&coll=la-home-business |title=Guynn, Jessica. "Welcome to their world – all of it," ''Los Angeles Times'', October 3, 2007 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=October 3, 2007 |access-date=December 12, 2011}}</ref>
=== Micro-celebrities === A micro-celebrity, also known as a micro-influencer, is a person famous within a niche group of users on a social media platform. Micro-celebrities often present themselves as public figures.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2018-05-05|title=Instagram micro-celebrities.|url=https://tulsacommunitycollege-library.on.worldcat.org/oclc/7566787792|journal=Marketing Weekly News|pages=149|issn=1944-2424|access-date=2019-03-25|archive-date=2019-03-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325044435/https://tulsacommunitycollege-library.on.worldcat.org/oclc/7566787792|url-status=live}}</ref> The concept of the micro-celebrity was originally developed by Theresa Senft in her 2008 book, ''Camgirls: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks''.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.peterlang.com/view/title/57745|title=Camgirls|last=Senft|first=Theresa M.|date=2008-07-02|publisher=Peter Lang |isbn=978-0-8204-5694-2|access-date=2019-09-23|archive-date=2019-06-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627110359/https://www.peterlang.com/view/title/57745|url-status=live}}</ref> According to Senft, the concept of the micro-celebrity "is best understood as a new style of online performance that involves people 'amping up' their popularity over the Web using technologies like video, blogs and social networking sites".<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://www.academia.edu/205283|title=Camgirls: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks|last=Senft|first=Theresa (Terri)|access-date=2019-06-27|archive-date=2022-02-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214234906/https://www.academia.edu/205283|url-status=live}}</ref> A micro-celebrity is also known as "a form of identity linked almost exclusively to the internet, characterizing a process by which people express, create and share their identities online".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Raun|first=Tobias|date=2018-01-10|title=Capitalizing intimacy|journal=Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies|volume=24|issue=1|pages=99–113|doi=10.1177/1354856517736983|s2cid=148595992|issn=1354-8565|doi-access=free}}</ref> However, micro-celebrities differ from more traditional forms of celebrities associated with Hollywood stars because a micro-celebrity's popularity is often directly linked to their audience, and the audience comes to expect a certain degree of authenticity and transparency.<ref name=":1" /> {{Blockquote|The Internet allows the masses to wrest control of fame from traditional media, creating micro-celebrities with the click of a mouse.|David Weinberger of the Harvard Berkman Center for Internet and Society<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/05/01/roflcon/ "The new fame: Internet celebrity"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915030738/http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/05/01/roflcon/ |date=2020-09-15 }} at CNN</ref>}} A micro-celebrity within the furry fandom is called a '''''popufur'''''.<ref name="Plante-2023">{{cite book |last1=Plante |first1=Courtney |last2=Reysen |first2=Stephen |last3=Roberts |first3=Sharon E. |last4=Gerbasi |first4=Kathleen C. |last5=Adams |first5=Camielle |title=Furscience: A Decade of Psychological Research on the Furry Fandom |year=2023}}</ref>{{rp|224}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Roberts |first1=Sharon E. |last2=Davies-Kneis |first2=Chelsea |last3=Gerbasi |first3=Kathleen |last4=Fein |first4=Elizabeth |last5=Plante |first5=Courtney |last6=Reysen |first6=Stephen |last7=Côté |first7=James |title=Seeding the Grassroots of Research on Furries: Lessons Learned from 15 Years of Creative Knowledge Mobilization, Valuing Community Partnerships, and Correcting the Record on Stigmatized Communities with Evidence-Based Scholarship |journal=Deviant Behavior |year=2024 |volume=45 |issue=1 |pages=50–79 |doi=10.1080/01639625.2023.2237634|doi-access=free }}</ref>{{rp|55}} Similarly, a micro-celebrity within the brony fandom is called '''''horse famous'''''.<ref name="Irpan-2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.alexirpan.com/2025/07/21/babscon-2025.html|title=Brony Musicians Seize The Means of Production: My Eyewitness Account to BABSCon 2025|first=Alex|last=Irpan|date=2025-07-21|access-date=2025-07-30|website=Alex Irpan}}</ref>
=== Viral video star === {{Further|Viral video}} A viral video star is a person (or people) who became well known primarily through their being in a video that went viral. Viral videos<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moreau |first=Elise |date=April 16, 2024 |title=What Does Going Viral Online Really Mean? |url=https://www.lifewire.com/what-does-it-mean-to-go-viral-3486225 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511102247/https://www.lifewire.com/what-does-it-mean-to-go-viral-3486225 |archive-date=2024-05-11 |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Lifewire |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Oxford Languages {{!}} The Home of Language Data |url=https://languages.oup.com/ |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=languages.oup.com |language=en-GB |archive-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818030846/https://languages.oup.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> are videos that become popular through a viral process of Internet sharing, primarily through video sharing websites such as YouTube as well as social media and email.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of viral video |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/viral-video |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231014130839/https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/viral-video |archive-date=2023-10-14 |access-date=2012-12-21 |website=PC Magazine Encyclopedia |language=en}}</ref><ref name=jiangicmr2014>Lu Jiang, Yajie Miao, Yi Yang, ZhenZhong Lan, Alexander Hauptmann. Viral Video Style: A Closer Look at Viral Videos on YouTube. Retrieved 30 March 2016. Paper: https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~lujiang/camera_ready_papers/ICMR2014-Viral.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026092606/https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~lujiang/camera_ready_papers/ICMR2014-Viral.pdf |date=26 October 2022 }} Slides: https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~lujiang/resources/ViralVideos.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026092526/https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~lujiang/resources/ViralVideos.pdf |date=26 October 2022 }}</ref> For a video to be shareable or spreadable, it must focus on the social logics and cultural practices that have enabled and popularized these new platforms.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Jenkins|first=Henry|title=Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture|publisher=NYU Press|year=2013|pages=3|language=English}}</ref> Examples of viral video stars are the CPDRC Dancing Inmates (best known for their Thriller video) and Star Wars Kid.
=== Wanghong === ''Wanghong'' ({{lang-zh|s=网红|p=wǎnghóng|l=Internet fame}}) is the Chinese version of Internet stardom. The ''wanghong'' economy is a Chinese digital economy based on influencer marketing in social media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ecns.cn/business/2016/03-16/203077.shtml|title=Celebrity economy set for explosive growth in China|website=ecns.cn|access-date=2018-04-11|archive-date=2020-01-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128145843/http://www.ecns.cn/business/2016/03-16/203077.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> Some ''wanghong'' celebrities generate profits via retail or e-commerce, through attracting the attention of their followers. Internet celebrities have become a popular phenomenon in China. For example, Sister Furong (''Fúróng Jiějiě,'' 芙蓉姐姐) received worldwide notoriety and fame for her self-promotion efforts through online posts.<ref>{{cite book|title=Celebrity in China|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YSjHUvePYVAC|access-date=6 August 2015}}</ref> According to CBN Data, a commercial data company affiliated with Alibaba Group, the Chinese internet personality economy was estimated to be worth {{CNY|link=yes|58 billion}} ({{US$|8.4 billion|link=yes}}) in 2016, more than China's total cinema box office revenue in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2016-09/17/content_26812432.htm|title=China's Internet celebrity economy bigger than cinema{{!}}Society{{!}}chinadaily.com.cn|website=europe.chinadaily.com.cn|access-date=2018-04-11|archive-date=2018-04-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420195434/http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2016-09/17/content_26812432.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
There are two main business models in the ''wanghong'' economy: social media advertising, and online retail. In the online retailing business model, e-commerce-based ''wanghong'' use social media platforms to sell self-branded products to potential buyers among followers via Chinese customer-to-customer (C2C) websites, such as Taobao. Internet celebrities may promote their products by modeling for their shops by posting pictures or videos of themselves wearing the clothes or accessories they sell, or giving makeup or fashion tips.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jing |first=Meng |title=Celebrity economy set for explosive growth in China |url=http://m.chinadaily.com.cn/en/2016-03/16/content_23887534.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422212852/http://m.chinadaily.com.cn/en/2016-03/16/content_23887534.htm |archive-date=2017-04-22 |access-date=2018-04-11 |website=China Daily}}</ref>
Zhang Dayi (张大奕)—one of China's best-known ''wanghong'' according to BBC News, with 4.9 million followers on Sina Weibo—has an online shop on Taobao, reportedly earning {{CNY|300 million}} ({{US$|46 million}}) per year.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-36802769|title=The making of a Chinese internet star|last=Tsoi|first=Grace|date=2016-08-01|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-04-11|archive-date=2018-03-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316012935/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-36802769|url-status=live}}</ref> This is comparable to the {{US$|21 million}} made by Fan Bingbing (范冰冰), a top Chinese actress. Li Ziqi (李子柒), a celebrity food blogger with more than 16 million followers on Weibo, has inspired many bloggers to post similar content on traditional Chinese cooking and crafts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-08/02/c_137363798.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802084618/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-08/02/c_137363798.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 2, 2018|title=100 Chinese selected as "good young netizens" - Xinhua | English.news.cn|website=www.xinhuanet.com|access-date=May 18, 2020}}</ref>
Censorship in China has created an independent social media ecosystem that has become successful in its own way.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chiu |first=Cindy |last2=Ip |first2=Chris |last3=Silverman |first3=Ari |date=2012-04-01 |title=Understanding social media in China |url=https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/understanding-social-media-in-china |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411174455/https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/understanding-social-media-in-china |archive-date=2018-04-11 |access-date=2018-04-11 |website=McKinsey & Company}}</ref> For every Western social media platform, there is a comparable Chinese version; Chinese social media platforms, however, generate revenue differently. The greatest difference between Chinese internet celebrities and their Western counterparts is that the profits generated by Chinese celebrities can be immense. Unlike YouTube, which takes 45% of advertising revenue,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72902?hl=en|title=YouTube partner earnings overview - YouTube Help|website=support.google.com|access-date=2018-04-11|archive-date=2019-02-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217170256/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72902?hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> Sina Weibo, one of the largest Chinese social media platforms, is not involved in advertising, which allows internet celebrities to be more independent. The monthly income of Chinese influencers can exceed {{CNY|10 million}} ({{US$|1.5 million}}).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.northeastern.edu/rugglesmedia/2018/01/27/internet-celebrity-and-diversity/|title=How Do China's Internet Celebrity Differ From America's?|date=2018-01-27|work=Ruggles Media|access-date=2018-04-11|archive-date=2018-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411174636/http://www.northeastern.edu/rugglesmedia/2018/01/27/internet-celebrity-and-diversity/|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Net idols=== {{see also|Japanese idol|List of net idols}}
In Japan, a specific type of internet personality is known as a {{nihongo|net idol|ネットアイドル|Netto aidoru}}, a sub-category of the idol industry in Japan. Net idols first emerged in the 1990s through personal websites and blogs when internet became more accessible, with some selling personal merchandise such as photo books through their websites.<ref>{{cite news | first=Tomo | last=Kogawa | url=http://kodansha.cplaza.ne.jp/dejitoku/famous/idol/index.html | title= 「デジタル特捜隊 ネットの有名人たちspecial ネットアイドルBEST10 1999年夏篇」 | language=ja | work=Kodansha | date=1999 | access-date=2021-05-12 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001011184307/http://kodansha.cplaza.ne.jp/dejitoku/famous/idol/index.html | archive-date=2000-10-11}}</ref> Around March 2007, dance covers (known as {{nihongo|''odottemita''|踊ってみた||{{literal translation}} "I tried dancing"}}) became popular in video-sharing websites such as Niconico, which in turn led people into performing choreographed dances from anime series and idol groups.<ref name="gadget 2010-01-23">{{cite news | url=https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/4565356/ | title=『ニコニコ動画』で定番ジャンルとなった"踊ってみた"動画！ 何故踊る？その心理を聞いてみた | language=ja | work=Gadget News | date=2010-01-23 | accessdate=2023-07-13 | archive-date=January 30, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130060941/http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/4565356/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Notable creators of dance covers, known as {{nihongo|''odorite''|踊り手}}, who later debuted as idols include Kozue Aikawa from Danceroid,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://wpb.shueisha.co.jp/news/technology/2016/11/25/75650/ | title=「ニコニコ動画」からアイドルデビューした愛川こずえ 「ニコニコがなかったらたぶんニートになってた（笑）」 | trans-title=Kozue Aikawa, an idol who debuted from Nico Nico Douga: "If it weren't for Niconico, I might've become a NEET (laughs)" | language=ja | work=Weekly Playboy | publisher=Shueisha | date=2016-11-25 | accessdate=2023-07-13 | archive-date=July 14, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230714084438/https://wpb.shueisha.co.jp/news/technology/2016/11/25/75650/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Beckii Cruel,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/72162/full/ | title="可愛いにもほどがある!"英ネットアイドルのベッキー・クルーエルが初のテレビ出演! | trans-title="She has so much cuteness!" British net idol Beckii Cruel makes her first television appearance! | language=ja | work=Oricon | date=2010-01-05 | accessdate=2023-07-10 | archive-date=July 10, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710192611/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/72162/full/ | url-status=live }}</ref> and Keekihime.<ref name="ascii 2013-04-25">{{cite web | first=Minoru | last=Hirota | url=https://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/002/615/2615137/ | title=ニコ動が引きつけた才能"ケーキ姫☆優海"【ニコ動今昔物語】 | trans-title=Keekihime, a talent drawn in by Nico Douga (A past and present tale on Nico Douga) | language=ja | work=Weekly ASCII | publisher=Kadokawa Future Publishing | date=2013-04-25 | accessdate=2023-06-18 | archive-date=June 19, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619002530/https://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/002/615/2615137/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
=== VTubers === [[File:Kizuna AI - SCP Foundation 2.png|thumb|upright=0.85|Kizuna AI, the first VTuber]] VTubers or virtual YouTubers are entertainers that use digital 3D model avatars that are computer generated. VTubers originated from Japan, beginning in the early 2010s, and have risen in popularity in the 2020s. The first virtual YouTuber was Ami Yamato,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rasmussen |first=Makena |title=Who Were the First VTubers and Virtual Streamers |url=https://www.virtualhumans.org/article/who-were-the-first-vtubers-and-virtual-streamers |website=Virtual Humans |access-date=2022-12-09 |archive-date=2022-11-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122053518/https://www.virtualhumans.org/article/who-were-the-first-vtubers-and-virtual-streamers |url-status=live }}</ref> who debuted on May 18, 2011; the first VTuber who had used the phrase "virtual Youtuber" is Kizuna AI,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelts |first=Roland |title=Japan's virtual YouTubers have millions of real subscribers — and make millions of real dollars |url=https://restofworld.org/2021/vtubers/ |website=rest of world |date=26 July 2021 |access-date=2022-12-09 |archive-date=2022-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206081758/https://restofworld.org/2021/vtubers/ |url-status=live }}</ref> who began entertaining in 2016. The appeal of VTubers is similar to a real person, except the entertainer may choose to remain anonymous through their VTuber persona. The 2D anime virtual avatars appealed to many Japanese fans and popularity began to spread internationally. In October 2021, there has been reported to be 16,000<ref>{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Donna |date=2022-07-24 |title=The Rise of VTubers: An Overview of the Surging Popularity of "Virtual YouTubers" |url=https://thesciencesurvey.com/arts-entertainment/2022/07/24/the-rise-of-vtubers-an-overview-of-the-surging-popularity-of-virtual-youtubers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130053824/https://thesciencesurvey.com/arts-entertainment/2022/07/24/the-rise-of-vtubers-an-overview-of-the-surging-popularity-of-virtual-youtubers/ |archive-date=2022-11-30 |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=The Science Survey}}</ref> VTubers around the world.
VTubers function in a similar fashion to YouTubers and streamers, with some VTubers being music artists. These VTubers that were music artists or broadcast their musical talent would be dubbed "VSinger" (virtual singer).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amos |first=Andrew |title=VTubers redefine the music industry as virtual concerts and idols rise up |url=https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/vtubers-redefining-music-virtual-idols-concerts-1973954/ |website=dexerto |date=November 2, 2022 |access-date=2022-12-09 |archive-date=2022-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209062738/https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/vtubers-redefining-music-virtual-idols-concerts-1973954/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Agencies such as Hololive and Nijisanji, scout and hire these VTubers to aid in marketing and build popularity. Their trademark character being the VTuber avatar or a 2D anime form of that character on the album covers, allowing recognition of the avatar and for the agency.<ref>{{Cite web |title=[Music] Release of Virtual Idol Tokino Sora's New Cover Album "Re:Play"! |url=https://hololive.hololivepro.com/en/news/20210907-1-2/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |archive-date=2022-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209062740/https://hololive.hololivepro.com/en/news/20210907-1-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Income == [[File:Chiara Ferragni - Giorgio Armani Show - Milan Fashion Week - 23 Sept. 2013.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Chiara Ferragni is a fashion influencer and blogger known for her sponsored fashion posts.]]{{Excerpt|Influencer#Income}}
== Cancel culture == Cancel culture is a form of ostracism where an individual is no longer watched and excluded from social or professional circles because of certain past or present actions or allegations. The act may occur on social media platforms or in person. Cancel culture is a common term among internet celebrities where they may lose their source of income, fans, or reputation because of their controversial actions. For example, Beauty Guru YouTuber Jeffree Star has faced many allegations of misconduct in his career, which include cyberbullying and vocally expressing racist remarks. On July 10, 2020, the makeup brand Morphe cut ties and ceased all makeup collaborations with Jeffree Star because his problematic past had resurfaced.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Flora |first=Liz |date=2020-07-16 |title=Morphe's Jeffree Star split shows high risk of reliance on influencers |url=https://www.glossy.co/beauty/morphes-jeffree-star-split-shows-high-risk-of-reliance-on-influencers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413010501/https://www.glossy.co/beauty/morphes-jeffree-star-split-shows-high-risk-of-reliance-on-influencers/ |archive-date=2021-04-13 |access-date=2021-04-19 |website=Glossy |language=en}}</ref> The year before that, Kuwaiti celebrity Sondos Alqattan was "cancelled" for criticising Filipinos. As a result of this, some brands cut ties with her.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/mac-cosmetics-releases-statement-denouncing-kuwaiti-influencer-sondos-al-qattan-1.753973|title = MAC Cosmetics releases statement denouncing Kuwaiti influencer Sondos al Qattan|date = 26 July 2018|access-date = 12 March 2022|archive-date = 12 March 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220312050834/https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/mac-cosmetics-releases-statement-denouncing-kuwaiti-influencer-sondos-al-qattan-1.753973|url-status = live}}</ref>
== Interacting with fans == [[File:VidCon-Outside.jpg|thumb|VidCon 2017]] Meetups are often a way internet celebrities interact with fans in real life. Occasionally, an internet personality might organize a meetup and invite fans to meet them at a certain place and time without proper organization. This can attract crowds of fans, causing disorderly or even unsafe situations. For example, ''Tanacon'' was an organization produced in collaboration with talent manager Michael Weist<ref name="How do you make money off social media? Just ask 'Jawline's' star">{{cite web |last1=Kaufman |first1=Amy |title=Staff Writer |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-08-23/jawline-youtube-stars-instagram-hulu |website=The Los Angeles Times |date=23 August 2019 |access-date=10 July 2020 |archive-date=1 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801230610/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-08-23/jawline-youtube-stars-instagram-hulu |url-status=live }}</ref> involving a group of internet celebrities who were set to meet paying fans, but did not follow through. Because of the disorganized setup, the meetup resulted in chaos.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/06/what-happened-at-tanacon.html|title=Tanacon Was a Fyre Festival for the YouTube Set|last=Kircher|first=Madison Malone|date=2018-06-26|website=Intelligencer|access-date=2019-03-11|archive-date=2019-02-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227060435/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/06/what-happened-at-tanacon.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
Alternatively, events can be organized at a venue with security personnel. VidCon is an annual organized video conference designed for people interested in online videos. It invites internet content creators to participate in events for paying fans, such as performances, panels, and meet-and-greets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://vidcon.com/about/|title=About|website=VidCon US|access-date=2019-03-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325041439/http://vidcon.com/about/|archive-date=2019-03-25|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Effect on fans == Internet celebrities can draw in a devoted crowd of fans whether their reach is small or wide. A scholarly article published from Thammasat University in Thailand explains that the younger generation is becoming more attracted to the path of fame compared to the typical intellectual development and financial security route.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last1=Juntiwasarakij |first1=Suwan |date=2018-09-01 |title=Framing emerging behaviors influenced by internet celebrity |journal=Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences |language=en |volume=39 |issue=3 |pages=550–555 |doi=10.1016/j.kjss.2018.06.014 |issn=2452-3151 |s2cid=158069963 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
thumb|Fans at the 2014 VidCon event where hundreds of individuals wait to see their favorite internet personality YouTubers
Those who closely follow the lives of internet celebrities are more likely to develop psychological difficulties such as anxiety, depression, and dissociation.<ref name=":12">{{Cite journal |last1=Zsila |first1=Ágnes |last2=McCutcheon |first2=Lynn E. |last3=Demetrovics |first3=Zsolt |title=The association of celebrity worship with problematic Internet use, maladaptive daydreaming, and desire for fame |journal=Journal of Behavioral Addictions |year=2018 |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=654–664 |doi=10.1556/2006.7.2018.76 |issn=2062-5871 |pmc=6426373 |pmid=30221539}}</ref> Although many internet celebrities appreciate the support and loyalty of their viewers and fans, the dedication to their lives can sometimes be intense. Fans may develop extreme behaviors or attitudes towards their favorite celebrities that can be identified as obsessive or may sometimes result to criminal behavior.<ref name=":12" /> The younger crowd are also being impacted through seeing their internet celebrities on different social media platforms. ''The Journal of Behavioral Addictions'' published by Akademiai Kiado evaluates a study that was done on Hungarian adolescents demonstrate these effects. The research found that the desire for fame on the internet was negatively associated with self-acceptance and potentially result to materialism and the desire for social recognition.<ref name=":12" />
Internet celebrities are also able to influence fans through creating parasocial relationships with their audiences. For example, Kim Kardashian frequently creates the appearance of authenticity through harnessing the emotions of her audience. In Lueck's (2012) study they find that 60% of her Facebook advertising contains an "embedded emotional/transformational story".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lueck |first=L. A. |date=2015 |title=Friend-zone with benefits: The parasocial advertising of Kim Kardashian |url=https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1080/13527266.2012.726235 |journal=Journal of Marketing Communications |volume=21 |issue=2 |pages=215–229|doi=10.1080/13527266.2012.726235 |hdl=11299/167651 |s2cid=167709180 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>
== See also == {{colbegin}} * Celebrity culture * Internet activism * Internet Hall of Fame * Kid influencer * List of Internet phenomena * Online streamer * Role model * Social media marketing * Usenet celebrity * Virtual influencer {{Div col end}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == * {{cite web | last1=Feuer | first1=Alan | last2=George | first2=Jason | title=Internet Fame Is Cruel Mistress for a Dancer of the Numa Numa | website=The New York Times | date=2005-02-26 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/26/nyregion/internet-fame-is-cruel-mistress-for-a-dancer-of-the-numa-numa.html| access-date=2018-01-11}} * {{cite web | title=The Dark Side of Web Fame | website=Newsweek | date=2010-03-13 | url=http://www.newsweek.com/dark-side-web-fame-93505 | ref={{sfnref | Newsweek | 2010}} | access-date=2018-01-11}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090414035110/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/rise_of_an_internet_star_parla.php "Rise of an Internet Star - Parlaying YouTube Fame Into Big Business"] at ReadWriteWeb * {{cite magazine | last=Tanz | first=Jason | title=Internet Famous: Julia Allison and the Secrets of Self-Promotion | magazine=WIRED | date=2008-07-15 | url=https://www.wired.com/2008/07/howto-allison/| access-date=2018-01-11}} * {{cite web | last=Sorgatz | first=Rex | title=The Microfame Game | website=NYMag.com | date=2008-06-17 | url=https://nymag.com/news/media/47958/| access-date=2018-01-11}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Internet Celebrity}} Category:Celebrity Category:Cultural trends Category:Internet celebrities Category:Social influence Category:Social media