Here are two stories about the dissemination of stories on the web that are worth a read. They cover different aspects of how information can go viral.
The first story is about the #FireMcMaster campaign, to get General McMaster fired:
#FireMcMaster, explained
The second story is by Franklin Foer, former editor of the New Republic, writing about his experiences dealing with journalism being driven by garnering clicks, rather than presenting good reporting:
libertybelle diaries 