MIT Libraries homeMIT Libraries logoDSpace@MIT

MIT
View Item 
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Theses - Dept. of Architecture
  • Architecture - Bachelor's degree
  • View Item
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Theses - Dept. of Architecture
  • Architecture - Bachelor's degree
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Lifecycle of viral YouTube videos

Author(s)
Wang, Ami M
Thumbnail
DownloadFull printable version (3.193Mb)
Alternative title
Lifecycle of viral You Tube videos
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Architecture.
Advisor
Gediminas Urbonas.
Terms of use
M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
YouTube was founded in 2005 as a video-sharing website. Today, it's a powerhouse social media platform where users can upload, view, comment, and share content. For many, it's the first site visited when looking for songs, music videos, TV shows, or just general entertainment. Along with the sharing potential provided by social media like Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and more, YouTube videos have the potential to spread like wildfire. A term that has been coined to describe such videos is "viral videos." This comes from the scientific definition of viral, which involves the contagious nature of the spread of a virus. Virality on the Internet is not a new concept. Back when email was the hottest new technology, chain e-mails spreading hoaxes and scams were widely shared by emailing back and forth. As the Internet aged, however, new forms of virality have evolved. This thesis looks at a series of 20 viral videos as case studies and analyzes their growth over time via the Lifecycle Theory. By analyzing viral videos in this manner, it aids in a deeper understanding of the human consciousness's affinity for content, the sociology of online sharing, and the context of today's media culture. This thesis proposes that the phenomenon of virality supports the claim of Internet as heterotopia.
Description
Thesis: S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Architecture, 2014.
 
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
 
Includes bibliographical references (page 28).
 
Date issued
2014
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/97377
Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Architecture.
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Architecture.

Collections
  • Architecture - Bachelor's degree
  • Architecture - Bachelor's degree

Browse

All of DSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

My Account

Login

Statistics

OA StatisticsStatistics by CountryStatistics by Department
MIT Libraries homeMIT Libraries logo

Find us on

Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube RSS

MIT Libraries navigation

SearchHours & locationsBorrow & requestResearch supportAbout us
PrivacyPermissionsAccessibility
MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Content created by the MIT Libraries, CC BY-NC unless otherwise noted. Notify us about copyright concerns.