How is the usage of the internet and social media affecting our celebrity obsession?

1. Image via Flickr: Jonathon Kos-Read
Celebrity Obsession: How the Internet
is Fueling the Fire
By: Carolyn Kosturik
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2. She’s tried everything to
stay in the spotlight.
She rocketed to fame
through a leaked sex
tape, became infamous
for her 72 day
marriage, and displays
her life on a reality
show with her family.
Image via Wikimedia Commons

3. “With the click of a button, people can see where their friends are checking in on Facebook,
what they are doing on Twitter, and even check apps regarding their favorite celebrities”.
- Alyssa Gauna
In our connected world it is easy to guess who this person is:
Image via StarSpotter
Kim Kardashian

4. The Internet has become our predominant
news source, fueling our celebrity obsession.
Image via Flickr: Clanlife

5. Our society
treats stars like
modern-day
gods,
following their
every move,
and focusing
on their
intimate lives
rather than
their talents.
Images via Pinterest

6. We follow celebrities on Twitter, Instagram,
and Facebook through a device that lives in
our pocket – physically and intimately
connecting us to their extravagant lifestyles.
Image via pixabay: Thomas Ulrich

7. “The creation of Twitter has seemingly closed
the gap ever so slightly between “us regular
folk” and celebrities”. – Nicolle Hodges

8. COUPLED WITH INSTAGRAM, WE CAN FOLLOW
THEIR EVERY MOVE, ADMIRE THEM, AND HANG ON
TO THEIR EVERY THOUGHT.
Image via Flickr

9. “Instagram
provides a very
different glimpse
into a celebrity's
life. It is almost
as if they become
their own
paparazzi and
provide us a
behind the scenes
look at their
lives”. – Thibaut
Davoult
Image via Instagram:
kimkardashian

10. 64% of
Instagram’s most
followed accounts
are of celebrities.
Celebrities
64%
Misc.
17%
Brands
9%
"Cheaters"
5%
Influencers
5%
INSTAGRAM'S TOP FOLLOWED ACCOUNTS
Celebrities Misc. Brands "Cheaters" Influencers
Self-taken image

11. CELEBRITIES CREATE NOISE IN
OUR BRAINS
51% of 18-20 year olds said that being famous was their
most important or second most important life goal…
They become our
ROLE MODELS.
Image via Flickr: Michael_Spencer

12. Author James Halpern
discovered that 23% of
students aspire to be the
president of a university like
Harvard or Yale, while 43%
aspire to be the assistant
to a celebrity.
Image Via Lindsey Holder

13. Celebrity
Worship
Syndrome
(CWS)
When a celebrity
becomes a central
figure in a person’s life
Image Flickr: Gertcha

14. “The Internet
enables
extreme
displays of
CWS —
several fans
have become
famous
themselves,
video-
blogging
their way to
notoriety”.
– Kate Leaver
Image via Flickr: Johnathon_Roberts

15. “Beliebers”
virtually
support Justin
Bieber, despite
his seeming
lack of moral
judgement.
Trending…
Image via Twitter: Kellydu851

16. Image via Flickr:
Jon Rawlinson

17. Fandoms are
a collective group
of celebrity
worshippers who
create virtual
communities
through social
media outlets
Image via Flickr

18. Members often become
so deeply involved in
someone or something
they want moreout of
it.
Fan
Blogs
Fan
Fiction
Infographic by Natalia Alamdari

19. Researcher John
Maltby found
evidence to
suggest that
“intense-personal
celebrity worship
was related to
higher levels of
depression,
anxiety and
stress”.
– Rachel Lewis
Image via Flickr: John Christian Fjellestad

20. This often leaves overly-obsessed teenagers with i m p a i r e d
relationships, including parents, friends, and significant
others.
Image via Flickr: coutinhobr

21. love them or hate them, you
cannot ignore them
Miley Cyrus’ VMA performance generated
306,100 tweets per minute
…She was also broke the 24 hour VEVO record
with 19.3 million views for ‘Wrecking Ball’ Image via Instagram: mileycyrus

22. The Mirror Effect
Facebook
users feel
the need
to become
‘mini
celebrities’
Image via Flickr: Cea.

23. Scrolling through
Facebook is like
scrolling through
the tabloids of our
own lives
YouTube gives us an opportunity to
showcase our talents
Image via Flickr: Neal Fowler

24. Our digital age + instant
and constant access to the
web = our growing
obsession with celebrities
Self-taken image

25. References
Billboard Staff. (2013, September 10). Miley Cyrus' 'Wrecking Ball' Video Breaks Vevo Record. Billboard Biz. Retrieved May 22, 2014 from
http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/5687346/miley-cyrus-wrecking-ball-video-breaks-vevo-record
Davoult, T. (2013, October 29). The Instagram Million Followers Club. Nitrogram. Retrieved May 21, 2014 from
http://analytics.nitrogr.am/blog/analyzing-top-instagram-accounts/
Gauna, A.(N.d). Negative Influences of Celebrities on Teens. divinecaroline. Retrieved May 21, 2014 from http://www.divinecaroline.com/life-
etc/friends-family/negative-influences-celebrities-teens
Harris, S. (2011, July 30). Facebook and Twitter are creating a vain generation of self-obsessed people with child-like need for feedback, warns top scientist.
MailOnline. Retreived May 20, 2014 from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2020378/Facebook-Twitter-
creating-vain-generation-self-obsessed-people.html
Hodges, N. (N.d). Media Monsters: Why are we so obsessed with celebrities? Vancity Buzz. Retrieved May 21, 2014 from
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/08/media-monsters-why-are-we-obsessed-with-celebrities/
Leaver, K. (2012, September 3). Justin Bieber is Not Really Your Friend. The Global Mail. Retrieved May 21, 2014 from
http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/facebook-notification-justin-bieber-is-not-really-your-friend/363/
Lewis, R. (2012, November 20). Does your child have celebrity worship syndrome? The National. Retrieved May 21, 2014 from
http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/well-being/does-your-child-have-celebrity-worship-syndrome
Worzel, E. (2013, February 19). “Fandoms” Reach New Heights With Technology. The Legacy Press. Retrieved May 20, 2014 from
http://www.kclegacypress.com/2013/02/19/fandoms-reach-new-heights-with-technology/
Images Under Creative Common License on Flickr, pixabay, Pinterest, and Self-Taken