Online Virality

This edited volume provides a comprehensive examination of online virality, delving into the circulation, reception, evolution of viral born-digital content. It highlights the importance of material, infrastructural, visual, and discursive elements that shape virality and how they are constantly redefined by various platforms, stakeholders, intermediaries, and communities. The book also explores the affective and emotional dimensions of virality, as well as the role of regulation, curation, and content moderation policies.

The chapters cover topics such as the semiotics of virality, the political dimension of memes and viral content, their relation to other media, and the affective side of virality. It challenges fundamental notions linked to virality, such as circulation, reception, economy of attention, instrumentalization, and affects.

The book brings together authors from various disciplines, including history, information and communication sciences, semiotics, digital humanities, media studies, and analyses a wide variety of platforms. It serves as a valuable resource for scholars and practitioners seeking to understand the complexity of online virality and its broader social and cultural implications