1. The meaning and development of "Internet celebrity"
(1) The meaning of "Internet celebrity"
"Internet celebrity" is an "Internet celebrity" The abbreviation of "Internet celebrity" has its connotation far beyond the scope of "Internet celebrity". Today's "Internet celebrity" includes many types, including anchor "Internet celebrity", self-media "Internet celebrity", etc., from all walks of life. Ordinary people can become "Internet celebrities". A large number of various types of gaming “Internet celebrities”, food “Internet celebrities”, beauty “Internet celebrities”, and fitness “Internet celebrities” are active on the Internet. Each type of “Internet celebrity” spreads their status to fans in their own different fields. Or attitudes about social events, attracting the audience while obtaining their own psychological and material needs. Based on the relevant research results of other researchers and the review of relevant information, the author defines "Internet celebrity" as "a person who is noticed by netizens because of a certain event or behavior in real life or online life and becomes popular on the Internet."
(2) The development history of "Internet celebrities"
1. "Internet celebrities" in the written era From 1998 to 2004, the popularity of BBS forums brought a large number of Internet celebrities Writers, they carry out various literary creations on forums. The "Internet celebrities" of this era use dancing and writing as a tool to show their talents. Most of them have some deviant meanings and have launched a revolution against the traditional literary creation concepts and power system. Powerful impact, such as Annie Baby, Nanpai Third Uncle, Ruffian Cai, etc. In a sense, the first generation of "Internet celebrities" represented by Internet literature writers have promoted the continuous growth and development of "Internet celebrities".
2. "Internet Celebrities" in the Age of Pictures and Texts. "Internet Celebrities" in this stage rely on pictures to win. They post beautiful photos and outfits with joking text, and rely on their unusual looks that are different from ordinary people. To stand out, he will not hesitate to become famous no matter how badly he is scolded by netizens. This period was also the period when Internet buzzwords began to develop. The Internet was full of spoofs, self-entertainment, nihility and pleasure. Internet celebrities during this period also had some derogatory connotations. Netizens paid attention to and discussed these unique "Internet celebrities" out of curiosity.
3. "Internet celebrities" in the new media era. The birth of new media such as Weibo and WeChat and the emergence of various live broadcast platforms have produced "Internet celebrities" in the video era, and mobile social networking has entered rich media. In this era, in addition to traditional text and pictures, today's "Internet celebrities" can upload videos to share their daily life on social software, or interact with netizens through live video broadcasts.
2. Communication characteristics of "Internet celebrities"
(1) Personalization: obvious personal characteristics
"Internet celebrities" have their own uniqueness in certain aspects Only in this way can you stand out from the crowd. Uniqueness can be physical beauty or professional ability and knowledge in a certain field.
(2) Entertainment: a national carnival on the Internet
People pursue relaxed enjoyment and like to use "Internet celebrities" as conversation topics after dinner to eliminate boring time. Overly entertaining "Internet celebrities" are another anesthetic for people. What people are looking for is fast food-style enjoyment.
(3) Mobility: Share content anytime and anywhere
The development of smartphones and tablets has led to the emergence of various social apps, making the content of "Internet celebrities" spread from the previous A single channel becomes multi-platform linkage.
3. The positive social effects of the spread of "Internet celebrities"
(1) The rise of civilian idols in the era of self-media
The "creation of Internet celebrities" in traditional society The "star" mechanism is very cumbersome, and the idols presented by entertainment companies and the media are always aloof, unworldly, and very far away from the lives of ordinary people. The emergence of "Internet celebrities" has broken the traditional star-making model in the past. Before being reported by the media, "Internet celebrities" may have already had a large number of fans on the Internet and become popular among the public, bringing great benefits to the public. A sense of familiarity and recognition. Young people who are chasing trends can also satisfy their spiritual and psychological needs on "Internet celebrities". "Internet celebrities" provide their souls with a spiritual place where they can relieve their depression and find sustenance. The emergence of "Internet celebrities" represents the rise of civilian idols, breaking the supremacy of stars under the traditional elite system. The disenchantment of idols has become a reality, and civilian idols have begun to emerge one after another in the spiritual wasteland of many netizens.
(2) From “Internet celebrity” as a “phenomenon” to “Internet celebrity” as a “culture”
Different “Internet celebrities” have different fan groups. Individuals will choose "Internet celebrities" who meet their own needs as the objects they pursue. In terms of culture, I can think that different fan communities correspond to different subcultures. Each subculture has its own unique group. Audiences who are passionate about games like game anchors, men who love sensual enjoyment pursue beautiful "Internet celebrities", etc. This is reflected in that fans place their wishes on the people they follow. On the “Internet celebrity”, it is further derived from the “Internet celebrity” peripherals such as the products recommended by the “Internet celebrity”. They hope to achieve certain wishes through "Internet celebrities" and hope that their voices can be heard by society.
Due to the continuous expansion of the fan community, the will of fans as a group continues to converge, and a unique viewpoint is constantly formed in their own community. All fans have a preference for "Internet celebrities" * Unique symbolic expectations, this expectation is reflected in "Internet celebrities" who are continuously improved through cultural reproduction, forming their own unique culture. This unique symbolic meaning is different from other subcultures formed by fan communities, and also different from popular culture in society. It has obvious labels and styles. And this unique culture continues to develop as a place of spiritual sustenance for fans and pours into the cultural trend of the entire society.
(3) The spread of "Internet celebrities" promotes the youthization of society
As the youth of society grow up, their world view, outlook on life, values, consumption outlook, entertainment outlook, etc. Elders have different attitudes and perceptions. The penetration and influence of young people's thoughts and concepts on society will form a repressive mechanism, and the whole society will pay attention to the psychological appeal and existence value of young people. In an individualized society, everyone exists independently, but people are social beings and must be in contact with the outside world in order not to be isolated. "Internet celebrities" reveal their private lives and connect with the outside world through social software and various platforms. In the process, a fan community is also quietly formed. As an individual, every fan is exposed to the overall ideological concept in this group, and they will also take the initiative to pass on the information of "Internet celebrity" to other people, hoping that other people can resonate with them. Individual identification with "Internet celebrities" continues to spread through interpersonal communication and becomes a phenomenon. In this way, individual labels become collective labels, and everyone's unique understanding is formed through a certain "Internet celebrity". Each individual in the fan community determines his own identity through a unique symbol. Identity, find your own sense of belonging.