When you finish scrolling through your Facebook newsfeed, do you usually have a bunch of notifications on Twitter? And by the time you get done with the little blue bird, does the filtered world of Instagram beg for your attention?
Sounds like you’re a social media junkie! Here, then, are the top viral hits of the week ending 14 February.
Viral Videos of the Week
A Deputy Jailor, whose dance was captured on a mobile phone camera, was placed under suspension on Tuesday. The video went viral on social media and other messaging apps. The Deputy Jailor, Shankaran, has been suspended from his duties.
This time-lapse video of a Canadian mother dressing her triplets and a 2-month-old toddler is going viral on the web, having racked up 45 million views already. Prepare to be bowled over by this matriarch’s efficiency!
Twitter Trends
Monday: #SB50 (Superbowl)
Superbowl, the biggest championship game in the US, dominated digital conversations on Monday. But what got people talking *most* wasn’t goals or players but Beyonce’s half-time performance to her new single Formation. The gig received mixed responses on social media for featuring dancers clad in Black Panther inspired costumes.
Tuesday: #SiachenMiracle
Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad was rescued from the Siachen Glacier after being buried under snow for six days. Since he was the only survivor of an avalanche that claimed the life of his 10 compatriots, his rescue was hailed as a miracle.
Wednesday: #ShutDownJNU
The student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi put up posters across campus inviting people for a protest march against the “judicial killing of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt”. The event was reportedly in solidarity with “struggle of Kashmiri people for their democratic right to self determination”.
This provoked outrage across social media with various people terming the university ‘anti-national’ and calling for its shutdown.
Thursday: #RIPHanumanthappa
Lance Naik Hanumanthappa, who had been battling for his life in a Delhi hospital ever since being rescued on 9 February from Siachen, breathed his last at 11:45 AM while a heart-broken nation watched. Soon, there was an outpouring of grief and condolences on social media.
Friday: #HelpFindDipti
25-year-old Snapdeal employee Dipti Sarna allegedly went missing after taking an autorickshaw from the metro station in Vaishali area in Ghaziabad, police said. On Thursday, the UP police launched a search operation in the jungles of Morti near Raj Nagar extension, where her last location was traced to.
Dipti was found and reunited with her family on Friday morning. The story, however, took a turn for the bizarre when she refused to name her kidnappers, saying that they had taken good care of her.
Saturday: #InternetFriendsDay
13 February is apparently now dedicated to celebrating online friendships.
Facebook Buzz
26/11 accused-turned-approver David Coleman Headley’s deposition before a Mumbai court is currently one of the biggest talking points on Facebook, along with the political campaign season in USA. TRAI also made headlines when it ruled against Facebook’s Free Basics programme, batting to preserve net neutrality. Other topics that showed up on user feeds everywhere include the Siachen avalanche, Facebook’s Mark Andreessen’s ‘colonialism’ comment, Delhi Auto Expo 2016’s conclusion, and a week-long build-up to Valentine’s Day.