Viral scorn over Merkel's 'virgin territory' quip
Chancellor Angela Merkel described the internet as “virgin territory” during a press conference with President Obama on Wednesday, prompting Twitter to explode with mockery about her recent discovery of a brave new online world.
"The internet is virgin territory (Neuland) for us all,” Merkel declared on Wednesday. But if she had meant to make a meaningful comment on the borderless, Wild West nature of the internet, it was lost on German internet users - who took to Twitter to poke fun.
Within minutes of her comment, the social network was buzzing with Tweets wondering what planet the Chancellor had been living on for the last twenty years.
Then, using the hashtag #neuland, a trickle of scornful memes began appearing which soon swelled into a viral flood as word got out across the Twittersphere.
By Wednesday evening #neuland was trending in Germany higher than #obamainberlin - and the Merkel memes kept coming.
So, just in case you missed them, The Local has gathered some #neuland highlights into one place – for even non-Twitter users (and Neuland newbies) to enjoy.
Click here for our favourite #neuland memes
The Local/jlb
Comments
See Also
"The internet is virgin territory (Neuland) for us all,” Merkel declared on Wednesday. But if she had meant to make a meaningful comment on the borderless, Wild West nature of the internet, it was lost on German internet users - who took to Twitter to poke fun.
Within minutes of her comment, the social network was buzzing with Tweets wondering what planet the Chancellor had been living on for the last twenty years.
Then, using the hashtag #neuland, a trickle of scornful memes began appearing which soon swelled into a viral flood as word got out across the Twittersphere.
By Wednesday evening #neuland was trending in Germany higher than #obamainberlin - and the Merkel memes kept coming.
So, just in case you missed them, The Local has gathered some #neuland highlights into one place – for even non-Twitter users (and Neuland newbies) to enjoy.
Click here for our favourite #neuland memes
The Local/jlb
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.