The Power of the Meme

            Now that I am wrapping my Business of Social Media class, my Google search shows only minor differenced than it did earlier in the semester. I blame my initial care for how others see me on the Internet for that reason. The only thing lacking is all the photos I discovered from my early college career that I was not so fond of. Other than that, I am proud of my Google search!

            However, this concern of what your Google search says about me got me thinking of how early one most be concerned about what comes up when then Google their name. This is a popular discussion regarding children of reality stars. When parents put their children on the Internet, the child has no control over what their parents say or show. What if a viral photo of a child goes viral, only to haunt that child for years down the road? They have no control over that.

I’ve always thought about who ‘meme stars’ actually are in real life. For example, this photo of this young teenage boy has been broadcasted in nearly every corner of the Internet. 

Where did this boy come from and how did this image become so popular? I wonder if this will affect him later in life when searching for a job. After all, we do not know his name but we recognize him. Meme’s almost seem to never go away. With cameras attached to the majority of American’s hands via their smart phones, everyone is a snap shot away from becoming the next Internet sensation, whether they like it or not. It is an uncomfortable feeling, really. Much like Alex From Target. You never know how one Tweet from a pre-teen in Great Britain can land you a spot on The Ellen DeGeneres show later that week.