Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead on June 25, 2009 after paramedics found him in a coma at his Bel-Air mansion. He was 50.

• Effect on Internet Worldwide (from Wikipedia)
  

The news of Jackson’s death spread quickly online, causing websites to crash and slow down from user overload. Google believed the millions of people searching “Michael Jackson” meant it was under attack from hackers, and blocked such queries. Twitter reported a crash, as did Wikipedia at 3:15 PDT. AOL Instant Messenger, an instant messaging service operated by AOL, collapsed for 40 minutes. AOL called it a “seminal moment in Internet history,” adding, “We’ve never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth.” Although individual websites and servers were affected, the Internet as a whole remained largely unaffected.

• Effect on Internet in China (according to Baidu Index)
  

Baidu Index indicates that the Chinese Internet users’ Attention Rate about Michael Jackson increased 2200%.

• Chinese Netizens’ Reaction (from chinaSMACK)

Comments from Sina:

新浪湖南网友:

Michael is just a singer, but to some ignorant fans he is like their parents. Michael’s death makes them act as if they have lost their parents. They wish he could bring them to another world, because they themselves are soulless people who do not serve much of a purpose living anyway. They do not have parents, no loved ones and friends, no red flowers, no green leaves, no four seasons, no motherland, only Michael.

新浪日本网友:

How could there be people who worship such a deviant?
Just that neither human nor monster picture of him is enough to scare people.
As for his singing, I didn’t think he excelled in it either…

新浪四川成都网友:

He did not excel in singing? A single album sold 130 million copies. Keep in mind that Hong Kong and Taiwanese singers hold celebrations just for selling 500,000 copies. When you start thinking the entire world has a problem, it means you have a problem.
While I am at it, let me also say, what “neither human nor monster” face? Go investigate why he had plastic surgery. You first go see what black people who have Vitiligo are like before coming back to express your opinion. You can be retarded, but why do you have to show off your retardation everywhere.

新浪北京网友:

Those people insulting MJ, do you know what makes MJ outstanding? Because no matter what anyone says about any of his business, when it comes to his music, you cannot say anything. For a music king, that is enough.

新浪上海网友:

Pathetic countrymen, it is just a single foreign entertainment star. At most, it is regrettable, but is this worth all of you being so miserable? Truly making a fuss over nothing.

新浪上海网友:

A single foreign entertainment star? Please find another “single” [star] that can be compared to him. Those who do not have memories of MJ do not reply. “Miserable” we are not, but our hearts definitely are very upset, because what has been lost is not just a person, but also our wonderful memories.

新浪福建厦门网友:

This world is again less one abnormal/perverted/deviant piece of trash! Excellent, tonight I will drink!

新浪福建网友手机用户:

He was a music genius…but when he betrayed his own skin color and bleached his skin white, when he started hating his own race and changed his face so much that he no longer looked like himself, he became a monster/freak…Were it not for this, I believe he would have had a better life.

新浪浙江网友:

After seeing irrefutable information, my eyes became moist. What is wrong with me, I am already over 30-years-old and very rarely does this happen [cry].

新浪辽宁网友手机用户:

MJ, you are our god!

新浪福建网友:

The first singer that I became a fan of was Michael Jackson. His dancing, his voice, his songs, I paid attention to closely. His departure is a huge grief for his fans. The poor July worldwide concert tour is no more. I am so sad!!!

新浪广东深圳网友:

Heaven waits for you to continue making legends. Go amaze God! MJ the Great!

新浪广东网友:

This half-man half-demon monster has ultimately left the human world. When is it time for that half-man half-woman Li Yuchun [aka Chris Lee, a pop artist famous for being like a boy]?!

Comments from Tianya:

鱼鱼喝奶:

My father was watching the news this morning. He is over 50-years old, and upon seeing this news he yelled for us to wake up. I ran over astonished to see the report, sigh.
Heaven must be very bright now!!!

歌舞伎町媽媽桑:

Oh…my god! No way! I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it!

箭头向上的糖果:

In university there was a girl who was passionately in love with Michael. Whenever she heard anyone say he was “abnormal/perverted/deviant” she would get angry and fight with them. It was from that girl that I slowly came to realize his charm! Now when I look at his stuff from 20 years ago I still get excited and thrilled! He is not just a king to me but also a a symbol of my youth!

想写小说:

MJ passed away~~ makes me feel very old. The superstar of a generation.

初冉:

Too too too too too sudden…
I was just telling my husband that we must save money during our lifetimes to go see him in concert…

流氓教女教主:

I saw the South Park episode about him. I do not think he molested boys, but rather wanted to be forever innocent… He hoped there could be a world where there were only children, only innocence… His childhood affected him a lot.

vallly:

I am thankful to you for the energy and happiness you have brought to my life. I am thankful for having known you, Thank you for bringing to my world/life energy and happiness. God calls, God needs you.

sunbin8610:

He doesn’t know that in China there is a group of fans who are infatuated with him, who will go crazy for him, who will always support him…once again: Goodbye, we love you.

并辔数寒星:

I have always believed that MJ is an simple and kind-hearted person, and just demonized by the outside world~~~

Rest in peace, there is no racism and not so many restraints in heaven, so you can dance and sing to your heart’s content~~~

shinyaeln:

I liked you ever since junior high
and just a few days ago I was watching your performance.
My entire life I have dreamed of going to watch your concert.

Now I can only say to you:
Rest in peace.

God bless you.