Inside Storm Area 51: How A Viral Meme Almost Destroyed A Town ─ VICE

The Internet erupted in laughter and curiosity when Matty Roberts created his Storm Area 51 Facebook event. The event went on to become a viral meme. Harnessing the sensational momentum, the storming event was transformed into a music festival that was set to take place in the rural town of Rachel, Nevada.

Power struggles behind the scenes, however, created chaos and confusion for both the media and those who wanted to attend.

VICE producers Zeke Spector and Dan Zabludovsky documented their process of trying to gain access to the event and their attempt to make sense of how an Internet entity can affect people in the real world.

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