Trending For Fame?s Sake?

Why do some think trending is the be-all, end-all in social media? Trending on Twitter is generally advantageous in a way that you get the needed visibility that will attract more people and possibly earn you more followers. Trending, however, should not be used as a tool to simply grab a lot of new followers without thinking about the consequences that also come with the popularity. There are actually circumstances in which companies and individuals try to get more followers by trending well, only to realize that they tarnished their reputation in the process. Numbers are not everything when it comes to social media. The quality of followers will matter more.

Trending... with Adverse Consequences

During a semi-final match between Chelsea and Swansea City in the United Kingdom, ball boy Charlie Morgan acted as if star player Eden Hazard kicked him during the game. His acts led to 100,000 new Twitter followers and 40,000 retweets. Morgan actually tweeted about his plans earlier. After the incident, his online followers and friends congratulated him for trending well online. A lot of others, however, posted insults and other negative remarks on how teenagers would do anything just to get some publicity. There was also an recent incident wherein a group of young online users hacked into the account of Burger King, with the account allegedly announcing that the company has been bought by McDonald?s. The problem was immediately fixed, although the social media experts who solved it remarked that the people who caused the attack were generally intent on gaining a lot of new followers as the story continued to trend well on Twitter.

The Price of Fame

According to social media experts, more teenagers are actually using Twitter today. Statistics showed that the number of Twitter users ages 12 to 17 years old has grown by 100% in the past two years. More young people are using Twitter most likely because of its very simple micro-blogging approach and how the platform has been quite useful in spreading information quickly among various industries. The popularity of mobile devices and smart phones also made it more convenient for users to tweet anytime and anywhere. Many young social media users are not aware of the consequences, or simply are too na?ve to realize the real-world effects that their actions could cause companies and famous individuals. There are several penalties associated with these acts but teenagers continue to take the risk for the sake of getting known worldwide, even for just a few hours. Other stories and issues that relate to teenagers are also trending well which may also explain why young people are more inclined to gain attention in the same way as their idols. Many believe that the democratization and temporary publicity is worth the risk.