Identification and tracking of internet memes

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code stored thereon for causing a computer system to perform a method for identification of a digital meme, the method comprising:

• monitoring a plurality of sources for digital visual content comprising a visual moment and a caption;
• comparing an instance of digital visual content to a digital meme;
• provided the instance of digital visual content satisfies a similarity threshold, identifying the instance of digital visual content as an instance of the digital meme;
• determining whether the instance of the digital meme is identical to an existing iteration of the digital meme based on a comparison between a caption of the existing iteration of the digital meme and a caption of the instance of the digital meme;
• provided the instance of the digital meme is not identical to an existing iteration of the digital meme based on the instance of the digital meme including a different caption from the existing iteration of the digital meme, tracking the instance of the digital meme as a new iteration of the digital meme;
• and
• provided the instance of the digital meme is identical to an existing iteration of the digital meme based on the instance of the digital meme including the same caption as the existing iteration of the digital meme, tracking the instance of the digital meme as another instance of the existing iteration of the digital meme.

A computer system comprising:

• a data storage unit including processor-readable instructions;
• and
• at least one processor coupled with the data storage unit, the at least one processor configured by the processor-readable instructions to perform operations comprising:
• monitoring a plurality of sources for digital visual content comprising a visual moment and a caption;
• comparing an instance of digital visual content to a digital meme;
• provided the instance of digital visual content satisfies a similarity threshold, identifying the instance of digital visual content as an instance of the digital meme;
• determining whether the instance of the digital meme is identical to an existing iteration of the digital meme based on a comparison between a caption of the existing iteration of the digital meme and a caption of the instance of the digital meme;
• provided the instance of the digital meme is not identical to an existing iteration of the digital meme based on the instance of the digital meme including a different caption from the existing iteration of the digital meme, tracking the instance of the digital meme as a new iteration of the digital meme;
• and
• provided the instance of the digital meme is identical to an existing iteration of the digital meme based on the instance of the digital meme including the same caption as the existing iteration of the digital meme, tracking the instance of the digital meme as another instance of the existing iteration of the digital meme.