Fifteen minutes of fame became too short. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a thousand other ways exist to spread news instantly – and fame is more fleeting than ever. But media moments count. They are a form of culture, signal trends and influence how children see the world. Whether they're wonderful, weird, or terrible, media moments are an opportunity for our kids to connect with them, put things into context, and share our values. Let's take a look back at 2014 and see some of the world's best and worst media moments.
The best of 2014
1. Lupita Nyong'o's speech at Essence Black Women in Hollywood.
The actress's penetrating words about being of African-American descent and making an important contribution to the global debate about race and beauty.
2. Olympian Gus Kenworthy is reunited with the dogs he helped save in Sochi.
With the help of the Humane Society International, skier Kenworthy rescued stray dogs in Sochi during the Winter Olympics.
3. Pharrell and Happy took over the world.
The optimistic, happy and friendly song took over the radio and YouTube in the spring of 2014.
4. The 2014 FIFA World Cup dominates television and social media.
The international sports competition gained intensity all over the world, a moment of unification of the country and new football fans.
5. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge goes viral.
Ordinary and famous people such as Justin Bieber, Bill Gates and George W. Bush have poured ice cold water on their heads and shared their footage on social media. They have raised more than 100 million US dollars for charities fighting ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
6. Emma Watson and the HeForShe speech.
The actress, best known from the Harry Potter films, spoke out in favor of women's rights and the need for men to participate in the fight for equality.
7. Malala Yousafzai receives the Nobel Peace Prize.
Yousafzai, who survived the Taliban shooting, decided to appear on broadcasts, where she spoke and addressed the struggle in the education of all children. At the age of seventeen, she became the youngest Nobel laureate.
READ MORE: The sexiest photos of 2014
The worst of 2014
1. Applications for improved "selfies".
Young people use their phones to, among other things, take pictures and share themselves on social networks. Applications thus correct any errors in "selfies" before publication and "solve" public image anxieties.
2. A 12-year-old girl stabs another girl because she allegedly belongs to the internet "horror" persona Slenderman.
The victim survived, and the incident sparked a debate about the negative influence of the media on children.
3. Kanye West uses his naked wife Kim Kardashian in the video for the song Bound 2.
Weird, awkward and above all nothing "sexy", despite the breasts and moaning. The video only further objectified Kim Kardashian.
4. Beloved movie star Robin Williams commits suicide; reporters surround the house with helicopters, and daughter Zelda is harassed on Twitter and Instagram.
In the hours and days when the world lost a great comedian and actor, the media and social media users turned the sad event into a travesty. Thankfully, expressions of support and condolences have become bigger news.
5. Stolen nude photos of celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence, Victoria Justice and Arianna Grande.
Internet hackers have stolen and published nude photos of celebrities that were stolen from their iCloud accounts.
6. Kim Kardashian and Paper Magazine are trying to break the internet with nude pictures of her butt.
The Internet remained intact, just one more reality show star flaunting her considerable assets for no deeper reason than to gain attention.
So goodbye, 2014!
