In the last decade, the internet has grown at such an exponential rate that Andy Warhol's famous phrase that 'everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes' becomes more of a prophecy than a prediction. Warhol's interest in celebrity and fame is now replicated throughout the world as the ambition to be famous is more common in children than ay particular profession.

Those searching for their fifteen minutes of fame could do a lot worse than appearing on the internet's video sharing sites. There are plenty of sites on the web where one could find their time in the spotlight, YouTube, MyVideo, Flickr and Vimeo to name just a few. So what makes a video star on the internet and how do they become the next internet phenomenon?

As mobile phones become increasingly powerful, some of the best internet videos have been filmed on these pocket-sized inventions. One such video appeared on a variety of video sites showing two men arguing aboard a bus in Hong Kong. The six minutes of footage show an older gentleman, known as 'Bus Uncle' verbally attacking a man for asking him to be quiet.

The film was taken by a fellow passenger in order to provide evidence in the event that the altercation turned violent. As the clip circulated, its popularity rocketed and became a media phenomenon in Hong Kong. Various phrases from the clip have entered popular culture in Hong Kong, with the words of Bus Uncle appearing in songs and on t-shirts.

A camera phone on public transport caused similar controversy in South Korea in 2005, when a woman was photographed refusing to clean up after her dog. The lady, aboard a Korean subway train, watched as her lap dog defecated on the train's floor. Refusing to clear the mess up, she even accepted a lady's tissue, only to wipe the dog's behind and leave the mess on the floor. After leaving the train at the next stop, her actions would be national news.

The owner of the camera phone posted the images on a popular website in Korea, leading to internet groups discussing and identifying the woman in question. As the vigilante campaign gained momentum, the lady was forced to quit her university course and made a public apology as a plea for calm. Despite her actions, the woman's punishment at the hands of internet vigilantes seemed to far outweigh the misdemeanor.

Hollywood films have also used the internet's vastness to promote word-of-mouth advertising. From The Blair Witch Project to Cloverfield, viral advertisements have been used to create a buzz around a film's release. One film that appeared to do a lot more with the internet interest was Snakes on a Plane, referred to as 'perhaps the most internet-hyped film of all time'.

As the movie gained popularity with internet users and in chat-rooms, the film's makes went as far as incorporating online feedback into the script. The movie had become an internet phenomenon long before its planned release, performing disappointingly at the box office despite the intense anticipation. Maybe this is indicative of the internet's dominance of media in the twenty-first century, or perhaps because internet clips and chat-rooms are free.

'Never work with children or animals.' Actor, W.C. Fields, made this comment long before the internet had made stars of so many children and animals. Two of the biggest hits will forever be known as Star Wars Kid and Dramatic Chipmunk. These two video superstars have amassed over a billion views between them.

The Star Wars Kid, as he is affectionately known, is the star of a short video he filmed himself. In the film, Star Wars Kid is seen mimicking Darth Maul with a golf ball retriever in the place of Maul's double-ended lightsaber. It is estimated that the video has been seen in various guises over 900 million times, making it the most popular video in internet history.

However, the story of the real Star Wars Kid is far more tragic. After being found by one of the boy's classmates, the clip was shared at school via file-sharing tools and led to him facing taunts and bullying at the hands of his peers. His family eventually won an out-of-court settlement after filing a lawsuit against the perpetrators and their families.

The dramatic gopher or dramatic chipmunk, is a five second clip of a prairie dog (not a gopher or chipmunk) turning round to look at the camera. Accompanied by humorous music to emphasise the sinister look in the prairie dog's eyes. The dramatic gopher/chipmunk/rat-thing has been duplicated and replicated many times, with more musical remixes and parodies than can be named here.

So, what have we learned from this handful of internet phenomena? There appears to be no guidelines or rule-book when predicting or monitoring the success of viral ads, video clips and online promotions. With such a vast number of video clips being uploaded every day, it is almost impossible to predict the next phenomenon that will grip the internet and its users. Fifteen minutes of fame is now attainable with just a camera and a funny-looking nondescript animal, and for that alone let me say... God Bless the Internet.