It may or may not be an insidious plot to steal your face — but there’s no debating the status of the “10 Year Challenge.” It’s a bona fide viral sensation.
“Me 10 years ago: probably would have played along with the profile picture aging meme going around on Facebook and Instagram,” tweets “Tech Humanist” author Kate O’Neill. “Me now: ponders how all this data could be mined to train facial recognition algorithms on age progression and age recognition.”
It appears to matter little that O’Neill’s thesis is entirely plausible, as the before-and-after hashtags, memes and profile pics are flowing like honey from a digital bee hive after launching on Facebook and spreading to Instagram and Twitter.
How to do it: Post your original 2008 profile pic side-by-side with your most recent one. Well, it started out that way. But then the real tech experts — aka celebrities and their rabid fans — took charge and started doing whatever the hell they wanted.
How to do it best: Here are the top contributions featuring celeb social media mavens across all three platforms:
1. Kylie Jenner
And the award for most changed goes to … Note: Kylie did not participate in the #10yearchallenge.
2. Ariana Grande
Getty ImagesSure, she looks a little different — but Ariana still sounds like an angel.
3. Jennifer Lopez
Do your decade-later thing, Mami! (Oh, and we loved your latest rom-rom.)
4. Dua Lipa
This Grammy nominee turned the #10yearchallenge into a tender flashback video moment.
5. Jennifer Garner
Torn undies = the kind of celeb self-deprecation we can co-sign on, Ms. Jennifer.
6. Demi Lovato
Demi’s loyal fans were moved by her Insta story response to all this hollow hype.
7. Tyra Banks
America’s next top social media challenger?
8. Miley Cyrus
Nice try, Miley, but we know that is your new hubby, Liam Hemsworth.
9. Cardi B
Wow, the newly crowned Queen of Hip-Hop is so young and innocent here. But that’s all we’ll say because she’s made it quite clear she “don’t need more press.”
10. Christina Aguilera
Boom: This platinum blond diva hasn’t aged a day.
11. Selena Gomez
Welcome back, Selena.
12. Amy Schumer
Gee, Schumer looks suspiciously like serial killer Aileen “Lee” Wuornos in her “before” pic.
13. Caitlyn Jenner
Caitlyn is keeping it very real with her split-screen image.
14. Mandy Moore
The “This Is Us” star got into character for her challenge pic.
