Internet celebrity

Person who has become famous through their use of the Internet

This article is about internet celebrities. For internet influencers, see Influencer.

Internet celebrities Connor Franta, Sam Pottorff, Trevi Moran, Kian Lawley, JC Caylen and Ricky Dillon at VidCon, a convention for YouTubers, in 2014

An internet celebrity, also referred to as an internet personality, 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 celebrities are commonly present on large online platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube,[1] which primarily rely on user-generated content. Some internet celebrities are also social media influencers, known simply as influencers, due to their social influence online.

Certain internet celebrities 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.[2] As part of influencer marketing, companies and organizations may enlist internet celebrities to advertise their products to their fan base and followers on their respective platforms.

## History

[edit]

Further information: 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.[3] 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.[4] Additionally, websites supporting blogging emerged around the same time, allowing users to publish long-form articles and stories.[3] Since then forums, social media and blogging have transformed into integral components of communication, social interaction, business and journalism. Popular social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, Discord, Viber, WeChat, and WhatsApp.[5]

### Influencers and marketing networks

[edit]

These paragraphs are an excerpt from Influencer.[edit]

An influencer, also referred to as an online influencer, social media influencer, or social media personality, is a term traditionally associated with someone who is considered influential. The term has more recently been associated specifically with people who influence and guide the interest of others using social media.[6] The modern referent of the term is commonly a paid role in which a business entity pays for the social media influence-for-hire activity to promote its products and services, known as influencer marketing.[7]

Types of influencers include fashion influencer and virtual influencer. Some influencers are associated with specific social media apps such as TikTok influencers,[8] Instagram influencer,[9][10] or Pinterest influencer, and many are also considered internet celebrities. As of 2023[update], Instagram is the social media platform on which businesses spend the most advertising dollars towards marketing with influencers.[11] However, influencer can exert their influence on any type of social media network. Thus, Instagram's leadership in the influencer marketing space has been under assault by platforms such as LinkedIn, TikTok and Roblox.[12][13][14]

## Types

[edit]

This section has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)

This section may contain material not related to the topic of the article. Please help improve this section or discuss this issue on the talk page. (January 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (January 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Internet celebrity" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

(Learn how and when to remove this message)

Depending on their rise to fame, internet celebrities 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.[15]

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.[16] Viral videos from internet celebrities could entail a funny event happening in the moment, a popular new dance, or even a post on Twitter, such as the "Alex from Target" tweet in 2014.[17][18]

Many other people build their followings slowly over time, sharing their daily life and passions with people. Families such as the LaBrant Family and The Bucket List Family share their children, life experiences, and travels with their followers. Individuals such as MrBeast and David Dobrik post content about their lifestyle and host challenges and giveaways.

Although multiple studies offer slightly differing views, internet celebrities, or influencers, can be broken into five or six different categories: Nano, Micro, Mid-tier, Macro, Mega, and Celebrity.[19][20]

* Nano influencers: 1,000 – 10,000 followers
* Micro influencers: 10,000 – 50,000 followers
* Mid-tier influencers: 50,000 – 500,000 followers
* Macro influencers: 500,000 – 1,000,000 followers
* Mega influencers: 1,000,000 – 5,000,000 followers
* Celebrities: Above 5,000,000 followers[21]

### YouTubers and vloggers

[edit]

Further information: YouTuber and Vlog

PewDiePie is an internet celebrity 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 celebrities. 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 celebrity PewDiePie uploads gaming and comedy videos on YouTube. As of October 2024[update], 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.[22] In August 2014, Variety wrote that YouTubers are more popular than mainstream celebrities among U.S. teens.[23] Advertisers, in an effort to reach teenagers and millennials who do not watch regular television and movies, have started contacting YouTubers and other internet celebrities.[24]

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.[25]

### Micro-celebrities

[edit]

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.[26] The concept of the micro-celebrity was originally developed by Theresa Senft and P. A. Poitier in their 2008 book, Camgirls: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks.[27] According to Senft and Poitier, 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".[28] 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".[29] 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.[28]

> 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[30]

### Wanghong

[edit]

Wanghong (Chinese: 网红; pinyin: wǎnghóng; lit. 'Internet fame') is the Chinese version of Internet stardom. The wanghong economy is a Chinese digital economy based on influencer marketing in social media.[31] 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.[32] According to CBN Data, a commercial data company affiliated with Alibaba Group, the Chinese internet celebrity economy was estimated to be worth CN¥58 billion (US$8.4 billion) in 2016, more than China's total cinema box office revenue in 2015.[33]

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.[34]

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 CN¥300 million (US$46 million) per year.[35] 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.[36]

Censorship in China has created an independent social media ecosystem that has become successful in its own way.[37] 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,[38] 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 CN¥10 million (US$1.5 million).[39]

### Net idols

[edit]

See also: Japanese idol and List of net idols

In Japan, a specific type of internet celebrity is known as a 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.[40] Around March 2007, dance covers (known as odottemita (踊ってみた, lit. "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.[41] Notable creators of dance covers, known as odorite (踊り手), who later debuted as idols include Kozue Aikawa from Danceroid,[42] Beckii Cruel,[43] and Keekihime.[44]

### VTubers

[edit]

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,[45] who debuted on May 18, 2011; the first VTuber who had used the phrase "virtual Youtuber" is Kizuna AI,[46] 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[47] 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).[48] Agencies such as Hololive and VShojo, 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.[49]

## Income

[edit]

Chiara Ferragni is a fashion influencer and blogger known for her sponsored fashion posts.

In 2023 in the United States, 27 million people were paid content creators.[50][51] Of those,[50] 12 million did content creation as their full-time profession.[51] 8 million did it as part-time work, and 7 million did it as a hobby.[51]

Different types of internet celebrities can make money in various ways, but most of them earn money from endorsements or sponsorships. Internet celebrities can use their fame to promote products or experiences to their followers, as a method of providing credibility to products.[52] In social media advertising, internet celebrities can be paid to advertise products. When they have garnered sufficient attention and following, they can be approached by advertising companies to help advertise products and reach a wider audience. Endorsements for fashion and cosmetic products are common for Instagram internet influencers. YouTubers tend to advertise a wider array of products, regardless of relevance to their genre of content.

Influencers can also expand their source of revenue by creating their own products or merchandise to sell.[53] By doing this, and by using their platform to promote their products to an established audience, influencers can earn money by developing their own reputable brands. Bloggers can feature sponsored posts in social media to make profits.[54] For instance, fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni started as an online blogger, and then gained millions of followers on Instagram. She later created her brand, the Chiara Ferragni Collection. Like many other Instagram celebrities, Ferragni started by charging money per post for promoting brands. She earns revenue from promotional Instagram posts and the sale of her own products.[55]

In 2020, a report by venture-capital firm SignalFire stated that the economy spawned by internet creators was the "fastest-growing type of small business".[56]

### Advertising regulations

[edit]

Despite the recent emergence of influencer culture, influencer marketing and advertising it is left highly unregulated by existing legislation. This became a prevalent concern when users on social media platforms were finding it difficult to distinguish any differences between advertisements and sponsorships with personal posts. This was evident with the mismanagement of Fyre Festival, where numerous Instagram influencers were sanctioned for their lack of transparency.[57] This led to a massive backlash from the public, who felt the promotion of the event deliberately misled and confused target audiences. As a result, numerous advertising bodies sought to introduce strict regulations and guidelines around influencer marketing. This includes the AANA (Australian Associations of National Advertisers), who states that influencer advertising must be "clearly distinguishable".[58]

In August 2024, the Federal Trade Commission voted unanimously to ban marketers from using fake user reviews created by generative artificial intelligence chatbots (such as ChatGPT) and influencers paying for bots to increase follower counts.[59]

## Cancel culture

[edit]

Cancel culture is a form of ostracism where an individual is 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.[60] The year before that, Kuwaiti celebrity Sondos Alqattan was "cancelled" for criticising Filipinos. As a result of this, some brands cut ties with her.[61]

## Interacting with fans

[edit]

VidCon 2017

Meetups are often a way internet celebrities interact with fans in real life. Occasionally, an internet celebrity 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[62] 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.[63]

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.[64]

## Effect on fans

[edit]

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.[65] The appearance of the ease and simplicity of the life of internet celebrities obstructs the reality of what this life often really entails. Seeing influencers display the highlights of their lives has shown to produce some unintended effects on fans.[citation needed]

Fans at the 2014 VidCon event where hundreds of individuals wait to see their favorite internet celebrity YouTubers

Those who closely follow the lives of internet celebrities are more likely to develop psychological difficulties such as anxiety, depression, and dissociation.[66] 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.[66] 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.[66]

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".[67] Her social media posts blur the boundaries between commercial promotion and personal storytelling, making it more difficult for followers to distinguish between authentic messages and promotional material. This motivates the followers to engage in particular purchasing behaviours which reflects her parasocial influence.

## See also

[edit]

* 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

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Most used social media 2021". Statista. Archived from the original on September 17, 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
2. ^ Schouten, Alexander P.; Janssen, Loes; Verspaget, Maegan (2020). "Celebrity vs. Influencer endorsements in advertising: the role of identification, credibility, and Product-Endorser fit". International Journal of Advertising. 39 (2): 258–281. doi:10.1080/02650487.2019.1634898. ISSN 0265-0487. S2CID 198608820.
3. ^ a b Martinue, Paris (December 6, 2019). "The WIRED Guide to Influencers". Wired. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
4. ^ "Then and now: a history of social networking sites". CBS News. July 6, 2011. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
5. ^ "Most popular social networks worldwide as of April 2019, ranked by number of active users (in millions)". The Verge. June 20, 2018. Archived from the original on September 17, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
6. ^ "influencer: noun". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
7. ^ "Influencer". Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
8. ^ Ohlheiser, A.W. (August 6, 2020). "A guide to the TikTokish apps that want to be the next TikTok". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
9. ^ "Video captures men spraying Instagram influencer's dog during alleged robbery". CNN. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
10. ^ "Instagram Influencer Marketing: A Complete 2024 Guide". Shopify. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
11. ^ Lepitak, Stephen (April 17, 2023). "Instagram Remains a Priority Platform for Marketers. Here's Why". Ad Week. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
12. ^ Bain, Phoebe and Gillian Follett (March 1, 2024). "HOW LINKEDIN IS BECOMING A HOT SPOT FOR INFLUENCER MARKETING". Ad Age. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
13. ^ McDowell, Maghan (February 27, 2024). "Influencer marketing has arrived on Roblox". Vogue Business. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
14. ^ Schulz, Madeleine (February 9, 2024). "The Instagram era of influencer brands is over. What now?". Vogue Business. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
15. ^ Gamson, Joshua (October 2011). "The Unwatched Life Is Not Worth Living: The Elevation of the Ordinary in Celebrity Culture". Publications of the Modern Language Association of America. 126 (4): 1061–1069. doi:10.1632/pmla.2011.126.4.1061. ISSN 0030-8129. S2CID 59355773.
16. ^ Rich, Gerald (June 16, 2010). "Zach Anner flattens 'Next Oprah' competition". The Daily Texan. The University of Texas at Austin. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
17. ^ Bilton, Nick (November 12, 2014). "Alex From Target: The Other Side of Fame (Published 2014)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
18. ^ Miltner, Kate M.; Highfield, Tim (July 2017). "Never Gonna GIF You Up: Analyzing the Cultural Significance of the Animated GIF". Social Media + Society. 3 (3): 205630511772522. doi:10.1177/2056305117725223. hdl:20.500.11820/f0841c5d-45bc-40e5-b4ba-f89e8c5fd847. ISSN 2056-3051. S2CID 64608249.
19. ^ "Social Media Influencers: Mega, Macro, Micro or Nano". CMSWire.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
20. ^ Amith Prabhu, Sujith Patil (2023). The Pursuit Of Reputation (1st ed.). New Delhi: Westland Business. p. 68\. ISBN 9789357768399.
21. ^ The 2020 Influencer Marketing Playbook. Linqia, Inc. 2019. p. 8.
22. ^ "36 Mind Blowing YouTube Facts, Figures and Statistics – 2017 (re-post)". Videonitch. December 13, 2017. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
23. ^ "YouTube Stars More Popular Than Mainstream Celebs Among U.S. Teens". Variety. August 5, 2014. Archived from the original on February 7, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
24. ^ "The end of Hollywood and the rise of social media celebrities". VentureBeat. March 13, 2015. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
25. ^ "Additional Changes to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) to Better Protect Creators". YouTube Creator Blog. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
26. ^ "Instagram micro-celebrities". Marketing Weekly News: 149. May 5, 2018. ISSN 1944-2424. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
27. ^ Senft, Theresa M. (July 2, 2008). Camgirls. Peter Lang. ISBN 978-0-8204-5694-2. Archived from the original on June 27, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
28. ^ a b Senft, Theresa (Terri). Camgirls: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
29. ^ Raun, Tobias (January 10, 2018). "Capitalizing intimacy". Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies. 24 (1): 99–113. doi:10.1177/1354856517736983. ISSN 1354-8565. S2CID 148595992.
30. ^ "The new fame: Internet celebrity" Archived 2020-09-15 at the Wayback Machine at CNN
31. ^ "Celebrity economy set for explosive growth in China". ecns.cn. Archived from the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
32. ^ Celebrity in China. Hong Kong University Press. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
33. ^ "China's Internet celebrity economy bigger than cinema|Society|chinadaily.com.cn". europe.chinadaily.com.cn. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
34. ^ "Celebrity economy set for explosive growth in China". China Daily. Archived from the original on April 22, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
35. ^ Tsoi, Grace (August 1, 2016). "The making of a Chinese internet star". BBC News. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
36. ^ "100 Chinese selected as "good young netizens" - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
37. ^ "Understanding social media in China". McKinsey & Company. Archived from the original on April 11, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
38. ^ "YouTube partner earnings overview - YouTube Help". support.google.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
39. ^ "How Do China's Internet Celebrity Differ From America's?". Ruggles Media. January 27, 2018. Archived from the original on April 11, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
40. ^ Kogawa, Tomo (1999). "「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」". Kodansha (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
41. ^ "『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". Gadget News (in Japanese). January 23, 2010. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
42. ^ "「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）」" [Kozue Aikawa, an idol who debuted from Nico Nico Douga: "If it weren't for Niconico, I might've become a NEET (laughs)"]. Weekly Playboy (in Japanese). Shueisha. November 25, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
43. ^ ""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!" ["She has so much cuteness!" British net idol Beckii Cruel makes her first television appearance!]. Oricon (in Japanese). January 5, 2010. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
44. ^ Hirota, Minoru (April 25, 2013). "ニコ動が引きつけた才能"ケーキ姫☆優海"【ニコ動今昔物語】" [Keekihime, a talent drawn in by Nico Douga (A past and present tale on Nico Douga)]. Weekly ASCII (in Japanese). Kadokawa Future Publishing. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
45. ^ Rasmussen, Makena. "Who Were the First VTubers and Virtual Streamers". Virtual Humans. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
46. ^ Kelts, Roland (July 26, 2021). "Japan's virtual YouTubers have millions of real subscribers — and make millions of real dollars". rest of world. Archived from the original on February 6, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
47. ^ Li, Donna. "The Rise of VTubers: An Overview of the Surging Popularity of "Virtual YouTubers"". The Science Survey. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
48. ^ Amos, Andrew (November 2, 2022). "VTubers redefine the music industry as virtual concerts and idols rise up". dexerto. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
49. ^ "[Music] Release of Virtual Idol Tokino Sora's New Cover Album "Re:Play"!". Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
50. ^ a b Hamilton, Katherine (October 23, 2024). "Who Gets the TikTok in the Divorce? The Messy Fight Over Valuable Social Media Accounts". Wall Street Journal.
51. ^ a b c Keller Advisory Group (November 2023). "CREATORS UNCOVERED: INSIGHTS FROM A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE STUDY OF US CREATORS". keller-advisory.com.
52. ^ Juntiwasarakij, Suwan (2018). "Framing emerging behaviors influenced by internet celebrity". Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences. 39 (3): 550–555. doi:10.1016/j.kjss.2018.06.014. ISSN 2452-3151. S2CID 158069963.
53. ^ Robehmed, Natalie. "Highest-Paid YouTube Stars 2018: Markiplier, Jake Paul, PewDiePie And More". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
54. ^ "How Online Celebrities Make Money Via Advertising and Endorsements". Reynolds Center. November 8, 2016. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
55. ^ Cochrane, Lauren (November 29, 2016). "Chiara Ferragni – how a 'crazy blogger' turned her life into a shop window". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
56. ^ "What is the creator economy? Influencer tools and trends". SignalFire. November 29, 2020. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
57. ^ Gillil, Nikki (February 19, 2019). "What impact has Fyre Festival had on influencer marketing?". Econsultancy. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
58. ^ "Ads must clearly be ads". Ad Standards. September 20, 2018. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
59. ^ Picciotto, Rebecca (August 14, 2024). "FTC bans fake online reviews, inflated social media influence; rule takes effect in October". CNBC. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
60. ^ "Morphe's Jeffree Star split shows high risk of reliance on influencers". Glossy. July 16, 2020. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
61. ^ "MAC Cosmetics releases statement denouncing Kuwaiti influencer Sondos al Qattan". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
62. ^ Kaufman, Amy (August 23, 2019). "Staff Writer". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 1, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
63. ^ Kircher, Madison Malone (June 26, 2018). "Tanacon Was a Fyre Festival for the YouTube Set". Intelligencer. Archived from the original on February 27, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
64. ^ "About". VidCon US. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
65. ^ Juntiwasarakij, Suwan (September 1, 2018). "Framing emerging behaviors influenced by internet celebrity". Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences. 39 (3): 550–555. doi:10.1016/j.kjss.2018.06.014. ISSN 2452-3151. S2CID 158069963.
66. ^ a b c Zsila, Ágnes; McCutcheon, Lynn E.; Demetrovics, Zsolt (2018). "The association of celebrity worship with problematic Internet use, maladaptive daydreaming, and desire for fame". Journal of Behavioral Addictions. 7 (3): 654–664. doi:10.1556/2006.7.2018.76. ISSN 2062-5871. PMC 6426373. PMID 30221539.
67. ^ Lueck, L. A. (2015). "Friend-zone with benefits: The parasocial advertising of Kim Kardashian". Journal of Marketing Communications. 21 (2): 215–229. doi:10.1080/13527266.2012.726235. hdl:11299/167651. S2CID 167709180.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Feuer, Alan; George, Jason (February 26, 2005). "Internet Fame Is Cruel Mistress for a Dancer of the Numa Numa". The New York Times. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
* "The Dark Side of Web Fame". Newsweek. March 13, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
* "Rise of an Internet Star - Parlaying YouTube Fame Into Big Business" at ReadWriteWeb
* Tanz, Jason (July 15, 2008). "Internet Famous: Julia Allison and the Secrets of Self-Promotion". WIRED. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
* Sorgatz, Rex (June 17, 2008). "The Microfame Game". NYMag.com. Retrieved January 11, 2018.

Authority control databases: National |

* United States
* Czech Republic
* Latvia
* Israel

|

*[lit.]: literal translation