JUST IN: Two reasons why the Coldplay ‘kiss-cam’ moment turned into a viral sensation and a way to enter that mysterious story and saga by way of something that is very….see more details

The Coldplay kiss-cam moment that unmasked a high-powered work tryst may have come and gone.

But thanks to the internet, scenes like these have a way of sticking around.

The viral moment — involving Andy Byron, the CEO of AI and software company Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the company’s head of HR — showed the pair canoodling during a concert live feed, then ducking for cover when they spotted themselves on the big screen.

It quickly spawned endless online commentary about expectations of privacy in public, speculation about the pair and their families, and a veritable avalanche of memes. There were even reenactments of the ducking-for-cover moment at other sporting events.

Exactly how did the fleeting spectacle explode into a viral sensation?

Why it went viral
Joseph Reagle, associate professor of communication studies at Northeastern University, says there are two reasons the clip went viral.

“First, we have the format,” Reagle says. “The clip itself was no more than five seconds; it was perfectly sized to go viral. So, it is extremely and immediately accessible: anybody can see it, have an immediate opinion and feel a little bit of the cringe.”

Secondly — and relatedly — he says, is that the clip housed a mystery.

“It’s having a mystery that affords additional investigation and sleuthing — because we know people online love a mystery,” he says. “But a way to enter that mysterious story and saga by way of something that is very, very brief.”