From the Streets to TikTok
New Celebrities Gain Ground over Traditional Media Figures
Keywords:
Celebrity, Tiktokers, Popularity, Internet, Social MediaAbstract
Social media platforms have provided visibility to individuals who, prior to their participation in these spaces, often went unnoticed. Before the rise of social media, being a celebrity was associated with belonging to a select group of people who appeared in traditional media, possessed artistic talent, or excelled in high-performance sports. Today, however, the massification of content has given visibility to individuals who showcase their authenticity, daily routines, charisma, and empathy with audiences on social media, particularly on TikTok. In the case of El Salvador, the findings of this academic study show that “viral videos” featuring humor, dance, or emotional content have transformed ordinary citizens with no prior media exposure into new celebrities through the videos they publish. Followers consider the type of content important when choosing to follow influencers consistently, but they also value “ordinariness” and “authenticity” as key factors in maintaining their interest and loyalty.
EMH ABIERTA_I_N19-2025-46-61.
7
HTML (Spanish) 2
References
Abidin, C. (2018). Internet celebrity: Understanding fame online. Emerald Publishing.
Carballo, D. (2025, agosto 14). ¿Abandonó su trabajo para hacer batallas en TikTok? | Juan Barrera - Entrevista completa. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1OOzZqEa78
Castells, M. (1996). La sociedad red: Una visión global. Alianza Editorial
Portillo, C. (2025, junio 11). ¿Influencia o dependencia? La generación Z y su vínculo con las redes sociales. Unifranz. https://unifranz.edu.bo/blog/influencia-o-dependencia-la-generacion-z-y-su-vinculo-con-las-redes-sociales/
Rojek, C. (2001). Celebrity. Reaktion Books.
Senft, T. (2008). Camgirls: Celebrity and community in the age of social networks. Peter Lang.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Gabriel Campos Madrid
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes .
- ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
