According to Dr. Mingyi Hou, social media celebrities are not "radically new". Before the internet, people could become famous too. Think for instance about religious saints, members from a royal family, or Hollywood stars. What is new and different about these social media celebrities, is the fact that they appear to be ordinary. They get ready in the morning just like any other person — except for the fact that they might take selfies or create a vlog while they get ready. Dr. Mingy Hou from Tilburg University wrote her PhD thesis on this subject. In this video, she talks about social media celebrities in general, their gendered roles, celebrities as commodities, and much more.

Dr. Mingyi Hou on social media celebrities

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