What does it mean to "go viral" online?

The term "go viral" online refers to content that achieves rapid popularity primarily through social sharing. This phenomenon occurs when users share a particular piece of content—such as a video, image, or article—often on social media platforms, leading to its widespread dissemination across the internet in a short amount of time. The key factor in this definition is the speed and scale of sharing, where a relatively small number of interactions can lead to exponential growth in visibility.

This concept highlights the importance of engagement and user interaction in the digital space, where compelling or relatable content can resonate with audiences, prompting them to share it with their own networks. Factors that contribute to content "going viral" include emotional resonance, humor, shock value, or relevance to current events, making it more likely to be shared and viewed by a large audience.

Other answer choices do not accurately capture this idea; they refer to different concepts entirely, such as archiving content, shutting down a website, or receiving negative feedback, none of which are associated with the viral spread of online content.