split image of rupert grint chadwick boseman and charli d'amelio

Social media allowed us to stay connected throughout 2020 as the entire world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We’ve seen lots of social media records broken, from historic firsts to the most views, likes and followers. Here are some of the biggest ones from this year:

Fastest time to reach one million followers on Instagram

Rupert Grint surpassed Sir David Attenborough's record for the fastest time to reach one million followers on Instagram, amassing the huge following in just four hours and one minute back in November. 

The former Harry Potter actor posed with his baby, Wednesday G. Grant, in his first post.

Friends and fans commented in their thousands, with fellow Harry Potter star Tom Felton, who played Slytherin bad guy Draco Malfoy, saying: “Welcome Weasley, it’s about time. Love to Wednesday xx”

Sir David Attenborough had only broken the record two months earlier, in September, by reaching 7 figures worth of followers in four hours and 44 minutes.

Most liked Tweet

In September, the world was shocked when Chadwick Boseman’s family announced his passing on Twitter.

The American actor silently battled colon cancer for four years whilst also featuring in some of the biggest box office movies in the world.

He starred in blockbusters such as Black Panther and Avengers Endgame

The posthumous tweet posted from his account received a record-breaking 7,500,000 likes, as verified on 1 September 2020.

Sharing the tweet from Boseman’s team regarding the tragic news of his passing, Twitter confirmed its status as the most liked tweet ever by saying it was "a tribute fit for a King".  

First person to 100 million followers on TikTok

It was a meteoric rise to TikTok stardom for 16-year-old Charli D’Amelio in 2020.

In April of 2020, she became the first person to reach 50 million followers on TikTok and now holds the record for the first person to reach 100 million followers on TikTok, which she achieved on 22 November 2020.

This means she amassed a phenomenal 50 million followers in only 7 months.

She is the most followed person on TikTok and her content mainly consists of dancing and lip-syncing videos.

Most viewed YouTube video in 24 hours

BTS continued to dominate charts across the globe with their 2020 releases.

Their single "Dynamite", released in August, set three records: 

  • Most viewed YouTube video in 24 hours
  • Most viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours 
  • Most viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours by a K-pop group

The 7-piece boyband took all the records from fellow K-pop artists BLACKPINK, whose single "How You Like That" set the records in May. 

Most liked DJ on Facebook

David Guetta broke the record title for the most viewers for a DJ set live stream on Facebook.

The internationally renowned DJ raised over $1.5 million for Covid-19 relief with his ‘United At Home’ charity live stream events in Miami in April and New York City in May, which tallied over 50 million collective viewers.  

david guetta being awarded his records by guinness world records adjudicator

The stream received 161,823 engaged fans at its peak.

His fans also helped him amass 50,460,923 likes and another record for the most liked DJ on Facebook.

He was awarded his certificates in a virtual presentation with an official Guinness World Records adjudicator. 

Most photos of people holding a mug uploaded to Facebook in one hour

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is a charitable organisation that helps blind and partially sighted people across the UK through the provision of guide dogs and other services.

Each year the charity celebrates National Tea Day (April 21) as part of their fundraising efforts.

However, following government advice on COVID-19, they were not able to run their regular event. 

Instead, they decided to launch the event online and attempt a Guinness World Records title in the process. 

The attempt was successful with 4,021 photos uploaded and they managed to raise over £21,000.

Most viewed video on YouTube

Pinkfong’s "Baby Shark Dance" YouTube video reached a historic 7,042,967,886 views on 2 November 2020. 

In doing so it broke three records:

  • Most viewed music video on YouTube
  • Most viewed video on YouTube 
  • Most viewed children's music video on YouTube

The children's rhyme was initially uploaded to YouTube on the 17 June 2016.

Before this record was snapped up by Baby Shark, it was held by the music video for "Despacito", a collaboration between Puerto Rican duo Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.

Most followers on Instagram for a duck

Another record holder that waddled to social media fame in 2020 was Ben Afquack, the drumming Instagram duck! 

Ben lives in St. Paul, Minnesota (USA) with his owner Derek Johnson, and has reached a record-breaking 79,002 followers on Instagram, as verified on 11 May 2020.

Derek runs the account and documents the duck's comings and goings. 

We can't wait to see what records are broken in 2021!