Mannequin Challenge information cascade
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/05/what-is-the-mannequin-challenge-bizarre-freezing-craze-among-tee/
Over the last few years, we have seen a number of viral trends sweep the internet, such as planking, the Ice Bucket Challenge, the Running Man Challenge, and ‘dabbing’. These videos would initially film one person doing a certain activity, such as planking, or laying down horizontally on an unconventional surface and having some part of your body in cantilever. Then the videos started incorporating groups of people, like the running man challenge, where everyone in the room would start a dance that is essentially running in place. This past month, the trend has continued with the new viral video internet sensation known as the Mannequin Challenge, where groups of people simply stand still while the song “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd is playing and someone goes around filming the scene. This “challenge” has gotten so popular that concert crowds, professional sports teams, and even celebrities like Paul McCartney and the Obamas have participated.
Of course, once a group feels like its version of the mannequin challenge is the best it could be, the video then gets posted on the social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. All of these videos get hundreds or thousands of shares for all the world to see. Upon seeing these videos, people feel the urge to participate with their group of friends/peers/coworkers, thus starting an information cascade. This is how the information cascade happens, prompting the viral nature of such videos.
Below is an example of the Mannequin Challenge at a concert: