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Social Media

8 ‘love it or hate it’ social media moments of 2015

Rappler Social Media Team

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8 ‘love it or hate it’ social media moments of 2015
Which of these social media moments do you swear by, and which of these do you swear at?

MANILA, Philippines – If there’s one thing we all know by now, social media makes for a rollercoaster of emotions. Scroll through a feed and you’ll find yourself loving and hating things from one post to the next. There are some things, however, that clearly have a group that loves it fiercely, and another group that hates it with a vengeance, and not much else in between. 

Here are 8 social media moments from this year that had people taking clear sides. Take a look and see which side you’re on for each: 

1) #TheDress

Are you team #BlueandBlack or #WhiteandGold? While not particularly fashion-forward, sales for this cocktail dress from Roman Originals skyrocketed when people started getting into heated arguments over which combination of colors the dress actually was. There was no right answer, as it turned out it was an optical illusion based on lighting. 

Still, the debate raged for quite some time, and even gave birth to an ingenious (if not annoying) Halloween costume!  

 Photo from The Baltimore Sun



 


 

2. #EhDiWow

Yet another addition to the long list of social media-generated catchphrases among Filipinos, “eh di wow” ended up being quite polarizing given what the phrase suggested. On one end, it could be seen as a humorous way to dismiss something you don’t agree with or care for. But on the other end, it could also be seen as a way to brush off or belittle others’ opinions, in the spirit of anti-intellectualism. 

Do you think “eh di wow” is just an innocent expression, or a sign that Filipinos would rather poo-poo certain ideas instead of taking the time to think about them? 






 

3) The limitations of Free FB

When local telcos rolled out free Facebook for their mobile users, they allowed a larger chunk of Filipinos to access the popular site without a pricey data plan. One caveat to the service, though, is that seeing certain photos and videos, and clicking Facebook links to outside articles still come at a price, keeping Free FB users in the dark about quite a lot of posts. 

Some Free FB users, however, still insist on commenting on these posts without knowing the full context, leading to misinformed discussions and, often, ridicule. Is Free FB ultimately advantageous, or does it cause more trouble than what it’s worth? 

Free Facebook is creating a new subset of people who are online but are only partially informed because they can’t click external links.

Posted by Ed Geronia on Sunday, November 1, 2015

Yung feeling na iniimagine mo kung ano ung nasa picture !              #FREEFB

Posted by Zzeth Verroya Bayubay on Sunday, November 22, 2015

kaiyak 󾌺 .. wala akong makitang picture#FreeFB #poorLai

Posted by Alyzza Mae Barrameda Mendoza on Monday, November 23, 2015

Photo from memegenerator.net

Photo from mememaker.net

 

4) Kris Aquino’s #APEC2015 sunburn

When it comes to polarizing Filipino personalities, showbiz mainstay and presidential sister Kris Aquino is definitely at the top of the list. This year, no other post of hers generated as many knee-jerk reactions as her Instagram photo of her sunburn, which she got after touring Intramuros with the APEC leaders’ spouses under the hot sun. Kris compared her sunburn to the ordeal of commuters in Manila that week, where closed roads and traffic jams forced people to walk for hours. 

While many were furious and called Kris insensitive, others were quick to forgive her or dismiss her post as yet another of her faux pas. Did Kris get you hot-headed, or was she not worth your ire? 

Photo from zeibiz.com

 





 

5) #AlDub vs #PastillasGirl

When matinee idol Alden Richards and social media star Maine Mendoza’s Romeo and Juliet-esque on-cam romance generated a dizzyingly large fan base on local channel GMA-7, a copycat was bound to emerge from rival network ABS-CBN. Unlike #AlDub’s will-they-or-won’t-they storyline, Pastillas Girl centered on another social media discovery, Angelica Jane Yap, and her Cinderella-like quest for a “Mr. Pastillas.” 

Naturally, this led to a turf war on social media, and people were either basking in the chaos, or calling for a ceasefire. Which team were you on? Or did you wish the whole phenomenon would just go away?






 

6) Pabebe Girls + Pabebe Wave

The “pabebe” phenomenon is pretty much what it sounds like: an obsession with being baby-ish, cutesy, and precious for preciousness’ sake. The original pabebes were pre-teen girls in viral videos – one eating a pastry in an overly dainty way, and a couple being hilariously defensive about being pabebe in the first place. The “pabebe wave,” on the other hand, was popularized by #AlDub’s Maine Mendoza, who started making this cutesy, cupped-hand gesture to say hi to her potential Romeo, Alden. 

The phenomenon, in general, could be either cloying, or addicting. Do you do the pabebe wave every chance you get? Or do you cringe at every instance of pabebe-ness?


 



 

7) #APEChotties

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit was one of the biggest events in the Philippines this year, with world leaders such as US President Barack Obama in attendance. Economics isn’t exactly a sexy issue, however, so it came as a surprise when Filipinos suddenly gave the event a lot of attention last November. The culprits? Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto – dubbed #APEChotties.

The fanfare was quite contentious, however, and not just because it seemed trivial compared to the heavy issues being discussed at the conference. It was also because Trudeau was the head of a country that dumped tons of its garbage on Philippine soil, while Peña Nieto was vilified in his own country for corruption allegations and “flawed” leadership.

Do you think #APEChotties is all just a bit of fun, and doesn’t have to be connected to the reality behind these political figures? Or should politics always be a factor in such situations? 






 

8) Hasht5

Thanks to social media, virtually anyone can have their 15 minutes of fame, and Vincent, JhimWel, Marlou, Erick, and Angelo are milking theirs for all it’s worth. Collectively known as Hasht5, they’re famous for their online videos, which feature random Q&As and ramblings, and they’ve even danced on ABS-CBN’s noontime show ASAP. Ultimately, their appeal relies on the “jejemon” factor, or being part of the local youth culture.

The “jeje” culture, however, has always been polarizing. Either you think it’s crass and embarrassing, or accept it fully for what it is. Do you admire Hasht5 for riding the jejemon wave, or do you decry their existence?

 






 

What else happened on social media this year that you found polarizing? Let us know in the comments section below! – Rappler.com

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