Hello, goodbye, gone for good?

The Moments Matrix is a fortnightly guide to what’s trending on the world’s leading social media sites. Find out what’s going viral, here to stay across mainstream and niche topics.

 Photo: The Social Intelligence Lab        

World Mental Health Day
October 10th marked World Mental Health Day. It aims to 'raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilise efforts in support of mental health'. Users primarily shared reminders that others are not alone and that mental health is as important as physical health. Others shared personal stories on how their mental health has been impacted and what they did to get better. Tips and advice were shared by mental health charities and the general public alike.
Data source: Twitter
Source: Listen + Learn Research

Values Offsetting
As values have become an important part of brand identity, brand fans who might not align with these are finding an interesting workaround. Value Offsetting is when you still make a purchase from a brand whose values you don't align with, but you make an equal and opposite donation to a charity to compensate. For example, someone might eat at Chick-Fil-A, but then donate their purchase amount to a Gay rights organization.
Data source: TikTok
Source: ViralMoment

Brexit Fallout
A video by the FT called ‘The Brexit effect: how leaving the EU hit the UK’. The film examines how Brexit affected the UK economy, arguing that the UK's recent "mini budget" can be traced back to the UK's decision to leave the EU. The commentators shared their frustrations with Brexit and how it negatively impacted them. They also shared stories of encountering Brexiteers in real-life, noting that they tend to refuse to see the negative economic impact Brexit had. Others expressed the wish for a wider public debate on Brexit, which they currently considered to be lacking.
Data Source: YouTube
Source: Listen + Learn Research

Scottish Independence
Last week, the UK Supreme Court started hearing evidence from the Scottish Government regarding a second independence referendum without the backing of Westminster. The court was told that Scotland could hold an ‘advisory’ referendum that would not be legally binding. Over 70k people discussed what this might mean politically, i.e. whether independence is a devolved matter. At the same time, Sturgeon was criticised for making independence her priority while the UK is experiencing a cost of living crisis. Opponents were quick to point out the many issues Sturgeon is allegedly ignoring in favour of independence.
Data source: Twitter
Source: Listen + Learn Research

Midterm Final Countdown
As the US midterm elections approach, the final battle lines are being drawn and content is being pushed out online by all parties across the social web. Close races in Pennsylvania, Nevada and Georgia are likely to see a particular uptick in coverage in the next two weeks.
Data source: Media Monitoring, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit
Source: NewsWhip

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Celebrity Deaths
The wizarding world was dealt a significant blow after Robbie Coltrane, the actor who portrays Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies, passed away on October 14th. We'll fondly remember our favorite characters and actors - but how long do these memories last on social media? On search? In the news? Well, according to search and social traffic - about 2 weeks. And this is quite consistent with really any celebrity death. This doesn't necessarily mean we forget about our favorite actors and characters, but the media cycle is ever shifting and our attention gets drawn to new trends and topics.
Data source: Twitter, Instagram, News, Media, Google
Source: Nichefire

Love at First Sight POV
There are numerous "love at first sight" POVs you can find on TikTok. However, creators have recently been parodying the trend using the song Up by Olly Murs on top of ridiculous POV situations, animals falling in love, etc. Parodies have been around for ages, yet they still entertain us to this day. TikTok has created an entirely new universe of content though. Creators are now developing content on TikTok that is parodying other content that originated from the same platform. This creates a clever cultural cycle within the platform - we're able to entertain ourselves in a new medium with the same ages-old comedy principles.
Data source: TikTok
Source: Nichefire

Climate Protests as Art
Climate protesters want you to know that there is no art in a world that's not habitable. Activists recently threw soup on Van Gogh's Sunflowers, and in another instance, mashed potatoes at a Monet's Les Meules. In both stunts, the food-fighters glued their hands to the wall. The protests are aiming at gaining attention to the climate situation. Museum cafes everywhere are quaking.
Data source: TikTok and Twitter
Source: Viral Moment and Listen + Learn Research

Ye Loses it
Ye (FKA Kanye West) went too far, and society is clapping back. He recently posted antisemitic comments on social media, which have emboldened a wave of antisemitic stunts. There is little tolerance for his behavior; we've seen support for the Jewish community on social, and Ye has been dropped by partners like Vogue, Balenciaga, and finally...Adidas.
Data source: TikTok
Source: ViralMoment

Lettuce Outlasts Liz Truss & Revolving Door at Number 10
The internet and social media have been ablaze with conversations about Liz Truss resigning and the revolving door at Number 10 Downing Street. There's been global sharing and discussion on parody, satire, and serious debate about the situation of UK politics.
Data source: YouTube, Twitter, and Media Monitoring
Source: Listen + Learn Research and NewsWhip

Christmas Descends on Pinterest
Christmas recipes and decorations are already starting to make their way onto the viral web, even though we're yet to hit Halloween. Decorations and drinks ideas on Pinterest are already seeing hundreds of thousands of engagements.
Data source: Media Monitoring, Pinterest
Source: NewsWhip

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Strange Airbnb Requests
Airbnb has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks, and coverage is increasing, as people complain of high fees and strange requirements to rent properties on the platform.
Data source: Media Monitoring, Reddit
Source: NewsWhip

#BTSARMY
BTS, the popular Kpop boy band, is signing on for their mandatory military duty, and taking a hiatus. Fans are distraught. BTS was already (and always is) trending, but this news shot into mega-trend territory. They are following in Elvis' Blue Suede footsteps.
Data source: TikTok
Source: ViralMoment

Snow Crab Season Cancelled
Alaska canceled its snow crab season for the first time, after crabs disappeared without a trace. Many have blamed climate change for the occurrence, with people marking it as an ominous sign for the future.
Data source: Media Monitoring and Reddit
Source: NewsWhip

The Buzz or Scorn
Video games have come a long way over the years. We started with Pong in the 70s. Today, we have some the most beautiful, hyper-realistic games that we couldn't have fathomed even 10 years ago. Scorn made its debut on October 14th and... it's just another game with reviews that aren't remarkable. Except for the fact its hellish, biopunk horror landscape has been the buzz for many in the gaming community. The bizarre shock value that came from this game drove significant traction with the audience. And many are buying the game just to see it for themselves - or watching their favorite streamers and gaming influencers play the game.
Data Source: Reddit, Forums, Blogs, News, Media, Twitch, Google
Source: Nichefire

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Micro-Labelling Aesthetic
Fashion has become extremely niche. In the last few years, we've seen the emergence of micro-labels like #babycore, #cleangirl, and #normcore. Aesthetics are often whimsical and charming and are seen by some as too narrow. These labels are giving rise to an intense and extreme sub-culture culture.
Data source: TikTok
Source: ViralMoment

Student Load Debt Forgiveness
For years, student loan debt in the US has been rising - it currently sits at $1.75 trillion. And since 2019, student loan debt has been a steadily rising as a topic of importance and has been a hot topic issue for many US politicians. However, we haven't seen as profound of a step to address student loan debt as Joe Biden's recent student loan forgiveness announcement. Although this initiative has faced some challenges in US courts, this has sparked a significant discussion around the right approach to tackling student loan debt and although breaking news has a short lifespan, we project this topic to continue to grow.
Data source: Google, News, Media, Reddit, Twitter
Source: Nichefire

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