Internet Celebrity: Understanding Fame Online
Abstract
This book presents a framework for understanding different forms of internet celebrity that have emerged in the last decade. Through cross-cultural case studies, the book offers brief histories behind internet celebrity, analysis on recent developments in the industry, and commentary on emergent trends.
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Feedback mechanisms central to nearly every social media platform mean that attention tends to attract attention, meaning some users will be elevated to micro-celebrities while the large majority will have very limited voice.
“The feedback mechanisms that are central to nearly every social media platform mean that attention tends to attract attention, meaning that some users will be elevated to the status of micro-celebrities, while the large majority will have very limited voice (Abidin, 2018; Marwick, 2013).”
From Social Media Imaginaries and the City: How the Attention Economy Is Reshaping Urban Built Environments (2025) · cites this paper as Abidin, 2018
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Mapping Internet Celebrity on TikTok: Exploring Attention Economies and Visibility Labours
Abidin, C. (2020) · Cultural Science Journal · doi:10.5334/csci.140 · Cited by 564 · see citing works
Self-citationArriagada, A., & Ibáñez, F. (2020) · Social Media + Society · doi:10.1177/2056305120944624 · Cited by 238 · see citing works
“This is achieved by the promotion of brands “receiving freebies in exchange for shout-outs and mentions, engaged for endorsements and sponsorships” (Abidin, 2018, p. 74).”
BackgroundInfluentialSweet escape: The role of empathy in social media engagement with human versus virtual influencers
Mirowska, A., & Arsenyan, J. (2023) · International Journal of Human-Computer Studies · doi:10.1016/j.ijhcs.2023.103008 · Cited by 154 · see citing works
Influencer Marketing for Tourism Destinations: Lessons from a Mature Destination
Femenia-Serra, F., & Gretzel, U. (2020) · Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2020 · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-36737-4_6 · Cited by 118 · see citing works
The Drama of Metrics: Status, Spectacle, and Resistance Among YouTube Drama Creators
Christin, A., & Lewis, R. (2021) · Social Media + Society · doi:10.1177/2056305121999660 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Resisting media marginalisation: Black women’s digital content and collectivity
Sobande, F., Fearfull, A., & Brownlie, D. (2020) · Consumption Markets & Culture · doi:10.1080/10253866.2019.1571491 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
“While this can involve influential social media users and micro-celebrities (Abidin 2018; Cocker and Cronin 2017) participating in business partnerships and receiving payment for their prosumer posts, brands’ use of the content of online users does not always involve them securing the consent of…”
BackgroundBocci Benucci, S., Fioravanti, G., Silvestro, V., Spinelli, M. C., Brogioni, G., Casalini, A., Allegrini, L., Altomare, A. I., Castellini, G., Ricca, V., et al. (2024) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu16162730 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Törnberg, P. (2025) · Social Media + Society · doi:10.1177/20563051251323389 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“The feedback mechanisms that are central to nearly every social media platform mean that attention tends to attract attention, meaning that some users will be elevated to the status of micro-celebrities, while the large majority will have very limited voice (Abidin, 2018; Marwick, 2013).”
Lee, J., Leaver, T., & Abidin, C. (2026) · New Media & Society · doi:10.1177/14614448241295718 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“In this climate, Internet-famous children rise to stardom strategically via the symbiotic reinforcement of the traditional media industry by elements of the influencer industry to harness, amplify, and exploit children’s viral fame (Leaver and Abidin, 2018).”
Self-citationMeet our baby: celebrities’ children and childhood between comfort, refuge, and futurity
Schörgenhuber, E. M. (2023) · Celebrity Studies · doi:10.1080/19392397.2022.2109311 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Yoon, K. (2022) · East Asian popular culture · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-94964-8_4 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Cabbuag, S. I. (2026) · Journal of Applied Youth Studies · doi:10.1007/s43151-026-00215-3
- Authors
- Abidin, C.
- Affiliations
- Jönköping University (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Abidin, Crystal
- ORCID
- Abidin, Crystal
- Venue
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks
- Publisher
- Emerald Publishing Limited
- Published
- 2018-07-16
- OpenAlex
- W2810888122
- Cited by
- 788
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 147 · 2025: 164 · 2024: 106 · 2023: 83 · 2022: 91 · 2021: 91 · 2020: 75 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 6
- FWCI
- 49.10
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Media and Digital Communication
- Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Asian Culture and Media Studies
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Feminism, and Media
- Keywords
- internet celebrities, online fame, celebrity culture, social media, digital media industry, cross-cultural comparison
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