2022 felt like a year of returning to relative normality and with it the viral trends and moments that gave much to talk about on social networks.
Because of this (and because not everything is about Elon Musk) we’ve put together this short recount with our pick of the five most viral moments of 2022.
Facts starring popular and definitely controversial individuals who found themselves involved in situations that gave a lot to discuss and talk about.
Whether it was on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, TikTok or other social platforms. These are the stories that these places made the most noise.
Top 5 viral moments of 2022
1. The Will Smith Slap
It was a memorable moment for those of us who had the chance to see it live. The Oscar Awards ceremony has struggled for years to be relevant and this year it had made an effort to make the ceremony more dynamic and striking.
It was all kept dryly entertaining when Chris Rock had the idea to make a GI Jane joke at the expense of Jada Pinket Smith and her husband Will Smith reacted on air, live to the world, to slap the driver across the face. The aftermath of that impulsive decision we continue to see.
2. The trial (and defense) of Amber Heard
The Internet experienced one of its most boiling moments during the trial of Amber Heard against Johnny Depp. In the end, beyond what was legally discussed, the process functioned more as a means to try to vindicate the actor’s career and call Aquaman’s co-star into question.
Everything was going in a balanced order, until Amber Heard took the stand to try to defend herself, giving rise to a series of endless memes.
3. Running Up That Hill – Stranger Things 4
Stranger Things 4 had epic moments. But the one that everyone remembers was undoubtedly the scene where Max is almost killed while Running Up That Hill plays in the background.
The season finale had closing moments and resolutions that perhaps changed the dramatic intensity of this sequence. But the moment everyone saw it the internet went crazy.
4. Portraits generated by Artificial Intelligence
We blame ourselves for contributing to this viral trend of 2022. With the release of Lensa, Midjourney and other platforms, it was possible to see authentic works of art that are as fascinating as they are disturbing.
Much remains to be explored in this field and it seems that in 2022 we only saw the beginning of a new technological era in the field of graphic design.
5. Everything Elon Musk did
Elon Musk stole 2022 and became a permanent inhabitant of Trending Topics on the web. Whether it’s his controversial statements, his quips, his indirect involvement in the Amber Heard trial, or the whole drama of the Twitter acquisition.
Honorific mention: Queen Elizabeth and the public meltdown of Kanye West. Both were huge viral moments but didn’t garner as much attention as the other five.
