Fame's curse?

"What hath God wrought?"

These words in 1844 were the first long-distance telegraph message ever sent. They marked the start of an era of instant mass communication which developed into the social media of today.

Welcome to the TikTok age. It has become known for its addictive short clips and teenaged internet superstars.

The latest in its life-cycle is Annie Bonelli, an 18-year-old student with a facial scar which many on the internet are convinced is a fake.

Thousands of internet users harass Bonelli under almost all of her videos demanding to know if the scar is real and providing "evidence" that it is not. Meanwhile, the influencer has gained 800,000 followers.

Whether or not Bonelli's scar is real, it exemplifies this principle: outrage is a formula for fame, and youngsters are going to extreme lengths for clicks.

Some will say this is nothing new. Artists have relied on controversial stunts to make their names for a long time.

Oscar WildeAn Irish writer famous for his witty remarks and plays, such as The Importance of Being Earnest. walked the streets of Victorian England with a lobster on a leash. Lord ByronAn English poet (1788 - 1824) known for both beautiful short lyrics and entertaining epic poems. kept a pet bear at Cambridge University. If TikTok is the new art form, faking a facial injury may be no more than a creative eccentricity.

But some say this is far more dangerous. For them, Bonelli is one of many benefitting from an "outrage economy". Social media algorithmsAny set of rules followed by a computer. In the context of social media, "the algorithm" refers to the intelligent AI that learns the interests of the user and presents them with posts that it thinks will interest them. boost content which gets traction - more often than not, content that provokes anger.¹

Anger produces divisions and polarisationWhen people tend to flock towards extreme opposite points of view. Some think that polarisation is bad for politics, because it makes co-operation between people on opposing sides of a debate less likely. Others welcome it, however, because it offers voters clear alternatives in elections.. In this case, it is unlikely to be significant: it is just about one girl and her scar. But in more serious circumstances it can be very damaging. Journalists have linked increasing internet polarisation to issues as diverse as violence in Ethiopia to QAnonFollowers of QAnon believe a Satanic conspiracy removed President Trump from office. conspiracy theorists.

Some say this demonstrates a bare truth: the internet is eating itself alive for our attention.

Yes: Obsessing over whether a scar on the face of a teenager is real is neither normal nor healthy. The internet was supposed to push humanity forward, but at this point it is stunting and dividing us.

No: It is normal to seek fame through controversy. Some people will always go to extreme lengths for money and attention - this is by no means a unique feature of the internet age.

Or... It would be unwise to make grand theories about society or the internet based on the behaviour of bored teenagers on an app which nobody takes too seriously.