Word of the Week – Internet Fame

Internet Fame

A specific celebrity status enjoyed by people on blogging or social networking sites that have accumulated a high level of followers or subscribers. The key difference with Internet Fame (in comparison to only having a high level of followers) is the inflated sense of ego of The Famous fueled by an unprecedented level of loyalty and attention from followers. The pinnacle of Internet Fame is marked by the inability to navigate industry conferences because of crush of fanboys/fangirls to get their picture taken, debate basic facts of their industry ad nauseam, or attempt to solicit a job/business/funding. The Famous also grow to expect a particular level of swag, gifts, freebies, and perks not bestowed on non-Internet Famous people (i.e. their followers/fans), and can become quite vocal when denied these privileges (resulting in boycotts and slander). One variety of Internet Famous people have come to expect that large international companies and brands will completely change the course of their business to accommodate The Famous.