More Than 43,000 People Spent Years Searching the Internet for ‘Celebrity Number 6,’ a Former Model From Spain. She Had No Idea

Leticia Sardá, a 43-year-old former model from Tenerife, Spain, has been the focus of a viral Internet search for the past four years. However, according to The New York Times, she had no idea.

This case illustrates the power of online community organizing to solve a mystery. But it also reflects the unexpected effects of digital fame in the age of social media platforms.

What happened. Thousands of Reddit users had spent years trying to identify Sardá, dubbing her "Celebrity Number 6." They saw her picture on a piece of cloth alongside celebrities like supermodel Adriana Lima and actor Orlando Bloom.

• The search began in 2020 when someone on Reddit posted a photo of the fabric and asked who the celebrities were.
• Internet users quickly identified the other celebrities who also appeared on the piece of cloth.
• A subreddit dedicated to finding her has reached 43,000 members.
• The search ended in September this year thanks to facial recognition technology and photographer Leandro Escorsell, who confirmed the former model’s identity.

What does the protagonist of this story say? In an interview with Vanity Fair Spain, Sardá noted that she was surprised to discover that 40,000 people were trying to identify her.

“I still can’t believe it. And I didn’t know anything. Until two days ago, I had no idea about all this. I’m still processing it. I haven’t even had time to investigate. In Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where I live, two people have already stopped me on the street to offer to manage my social media platforms. I was coming from work in flip-flops, shorts, and a bad bun, so I told them that I’m not ready for that.”

The context. Sardá left the modeling world in 2009. Until then, she had built a career in the industry, working for brands such as Burberry and L’Oreal.

The image that sparked the search was from a 2006 editorial for Woman magazine. She says it’s not even her best photo as a model, but it was enough for thousands of people to decide to find out who she was.

Now what? Sardá works in the hospitality industry in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. She's still dealing with her sudden fame.

This is a revealing case of how the Internet can put the global spotlight on someone who’s virtually anonymous. And how facial recognition technology is challenging our current standards of privacy.

Image | Leticia Sardá

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