Back in the day, people would say their role models were the likes of John F. Kennedy, Rosa Parks, or Mother Theresa. Back then, the only way to learn about them were to read about them in the paper or watch them on television. However, this was prior to one of the greatest inventions ever created in human history— the Internet.
Today's world revolves around the Internet. In the 1960s, it would take several computer banks to connect to one person, while you now can hold an entire computer in your pocket. The Internet isn't just filled with Wikipedia pages and cat videos— there are thousands of Internet stars spread out all across the world. Today, they are referred to as Online Influencers and they have followings of thousands. Not only do they have a large following, but these online influencers rival actual Hollywood celebrities in this new digital age.
In 2005, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim created the world's first successful video sharing website known as YouTube. Over the last thirteen years, the platform has allowed thousands of creators to share their lives and hobbies with the world. From small channels with only a few thousand subscribers like Ismahawk and The Hacksmith to the colossal channels with millions of subscribers like Markiplier and Jenna Marbles. With technology becoming more easily accessible to children, it is easier to watch one's favorite YouTubers online than it is to pay for network television. However, a lot of Hollywood network stations do not want to recognize these internet stars as celebrities, so they are dubbed "online influencers." These influencers are taking viewership away from television and companies are starting to recognize that.
That is why you get situations like Liza Koshy, who has just become the host of Nickelodeon's "Double Dare" reboot.
For those who do not know, Liza Koshy runs a YouTube channel (of the same name) with over fifteen million subscribers. The past few years, her career has blown up with her being featured in "Vogue" and "Wired" videos. But she didn't get her start on YouTube. In actuality, a lot of the most popular YouTubers in 2018 came from a now-deleted app known as Vine. People like Liza made the intellectual decision of branching out in order to stay relevant on the internet. But where does the line end between an online influencer and a celebrity? One excellent example is the Kardashians.
The Kardashians are not only famous in Hollywood, but they are infamous and have been for the last decade. It would be very difficult to find someone today who has not at least heard of them. Simple tweets posted by Kim Kardashian are featured on Twitter moments with thousands talking and tweeting about them. But the Kardashians are not prominent YouTubers like Markiplier and Jenna Marbles. Originally, they got the world's attention through reality television with their show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," which premiered in 2007. It is commonly known that reality television is sometimes staged, but that doesn't stop viewers from tuning in and becoming invested with people they will most likely never meet. The Kardashians also manage their own clothing and makeup companies. They promote these products on their social media pages, which have millions of followers, respectively. If someone was to scroll down Snapchat's discover page, chances are that Kylie Jenner's story would be the first discovery Snap one would see.
The question now is: in the future, are there going to be more and more of these Instagrammers and YouTubers? Well no, but the divide between online influencers and celebrities will probably become less and less. As a lot of celebrities today have their own Instagram and Twitter accounts where they post their ideas and beliefs. And while not every YouTuber is starring in movies, Hollywood is starting to recognize that the future is not television and cable, but is the Internet. A lot of cartoons today also can be watched on specialized iOS and Android apps. Ten years ago, the idea of watching one's favorite cartoon on a computer was unheard of. As the world becomes more intertwined with the Internet, do not be shocked to see that famous YouTuber in a three-picture film deal and on the Instagram explore page.
