• SomeDude@feddit.de
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    22
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Things like that, where a weird meme suddenly pops up and nobody can point to its beginning, are often tests for the marketability or influencability of viral content on a social media website.

    A bad faith actor starts the meme with a few accounts and upvotes and tests how many it will take to get it rolling and turn it into a viral thing in the platform. Now they know how to influence people and what communities are the most susceptible.

    • Spoken_Weakley@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      1 year ago

      This also happened at the beginning of Reddit, I’m surprised people don’t remember. Narwhals baconing at midnight and whatnot. In about 5 years if this platform is still around people will look back fondly, if not with a little cringe.