Remember the recent meme with the cat nervously tapping its paw on the table — this image went viral at lightning speed, bringing smiles to the faces of millions of people of all ages.
The internet not only accelerates the spread of jokes but is also changing the very perception of humor. Why do we find funny today what would have seemed strange or even incomprehensible ten years ago, and how have new technologies influenced our expectations of laughter?
How the Rules of the Game Are Changing Thanks to the Internet
Just yesterday, comedy was associated with theatrical performances, television shows, and traditional jokes. Today, the picture has completely changed, and familiar formats fade into the background. The term “democratization of humor” has appeared, meaning the opportunity for everyone to become an author and distributor of jokes.
Traditional boundaries have disappeared: anyone with a smartphone can create a viral video or meme and then attract a million-strong audience. Bright examples are comedians who became famous on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, becoming stars without the support of TV channels.
The reduction of the shock effect is another feature of the internet era. As media sociologist Rachel Clark notes, the public is now hard to surprise, since it encounters a huge amount of unexpected or provocative material on social networks every day. What used to shock viewers on television now seems like an ordinary part of the news feed.
Online communication has also fragmented the audience. According to a Pew Research Center study, numerous meme communities form their own codes and jokes, understood only by their members. This leads to the creation of unique internet dialects of humor, dividing people by interests and themes.
Doctors, designers, photographers, and teachers all have their own jokes. They can be related to professional activities or hobbies. The main thing that unites them is that such jokes are understood by a certain limited circle of people. As a rule, because they are aimed at a niche audience, it is difficult for others to understand what exactly is being discussed.
Indeed, if you are not involved in the environment, it can be difficult to understand the jokes. How can you get, for example, a funny meme about a crash game if you don’t play it? But if you play Aviator through the app or on PC, then everything becomes clear. Of course, there are also memes for the general public, but they are becoming fewer and fewer.
The growth of interactivity has become another vector of change. Viewers no longer want to be just passive observers: interactive shows, live streams, and crowdsourcing turn the user into a co-author. Comedy becomes a collaborative creation, as noted by British comedian James Akers: “Most of my jokes wouldn’t work online without audience feedback.”
The internet has also changed the length and delivery of jokes. Short videos, memes, and funny GIFs replace longer sketches. As media researcher Louise Martin notes, the average duration of a humorous video online rarely exceeds 15–30 seconds, since audience attention quickly dissipates.
Analyzing these trends, experts (see The Conversation, 2023) point out: the internet made humor faster, more diverse, and more accessible, but preserved its essence — the ability to recognize oneself in someone else’s jokes.
New Formats and Expectations: How the Audience Sets the Trends
Memes, short TikTok videos, reaction videos, streams — all of this dominates modern comedy. What has changed compared to the era of stand-up and sitcoms? Traditional comedy shows give way to new content, where instant reaction and conciseness are important.
Algorithms of platforms like YouTube and TikTok actively promote those formats that get more likes and reposts. As researchers from Oxford University note, short viral materials get prioritized in recommendations, so comedians have to adapt to these requirements.
Many modern comedy stars owe their success solely to the internet. For example, let’s recall bloggers Tipichny Paren and Sasha Stone, who became famous far beyond social media.
Terms like “crowdsourcing” (mass participation of users) and “reaction videos” (videos with live reactions to other content) now explain not only the processes of creation but also the ways jokes are perceived.
However, the question remains open: has humor really become funnier, or does the new speed simply allow it to change faster?
Promising Startups in the World of Comedy
The market for comedy platforms is currently experiencing a real boom. Why is this happening right now? Against the backdrop of global digitalization, demand is emerging for new types of entertainment and interest-based communities.
Offkey: Independence and Online Success
Offkey is a production company founded by Steve Whately in 2014. Starting with YouTube sketches, the project quickly stood out among competitors, gaining views on BuzzFeed and The Huffington Post. Since then, Offkey has released series and radio episodes for Channel 4 and BBC Radio 4, as well as received nominations for the British Comedy Awards and Cannes YDA. As Whately notes, “freedom from format allows you to test all sorts of ideas online.”
Meta Comedy Club: Humor in the Metaverse and NFT
Meta Comedy Club, according to the company itself, implements blockchain technologies in comedy formats, holding virtual shows and collaborations with NFT communities. Among the features are live broadcasts with stars, open events for everyone interested, and the opportunity to attend events in the metaverse.
The Comedy Crowd: Support and Experimentation
The Comedy Crowd unites more than 9,000 authors and promotes the idea of diverse humor. The platform provides conditions for experimentation and allows newcomers to make themselves known, which is becoming increasingly in demand in an era when the audience requires fresh ideas and formats. According to analysts from Comedy International, such projects form a unique ecosystem of young talents.
Usmile: A Community for Laughter
Usmile is a social network for sharing humorous content. Founded in 2014, it strives to bring users, called Usmilers, together by interests and joke themes. The platform offers both private and open groups, actively introduces features for school and university communities. According to the Usmile team, the project increases its audience annually and plans to expand its functionality.
All of the above facts are taken from public company reports and interviews with their management (the reliability is confirmed by specialized publications, for example, the British Comedy Guide).
Opportunities and Challenges for Online Comedy
The internet has expanded access to humor but at the same time has intensified competition. Hundreds of new videos appear every day, and originality becomes a rare commodity. Critics of internet humor point to repetitiveness and declining content quality, while supporters note its accessibility and diversity. Among popular examples are videos that quickly attract millions of views but just as quickly fade into oblivion.
Which formats are closer to you: memes, clips, or classic stand-up? Why do these resonate with you the most?
Historical and Technological Context
Humor has always evolved along with the development of media. Radio, television, now the internet — each stage changed the pace, forms, and themes of jokes. The analogy with folklore becomes especially clear: memes function like jokes or folk tales of the past.
Startups are emerging because technology provides new tools for creativity, and mobile devices and metaverses make humor even more accessible and personalized.
Will new formats displace the classics, or will they always coexist? What makes you laugh more often: concise memes, original videos, stand-up, or a conversation with friends? The answers to these questions help us understand how not only humor, but also our perception of the world, is changing.
