A seemingly routine moment of crowd engagement at a Coldplay concert transformed into a viral sensation last week, captivating viewers worldwide. The incident involved a couple who attempted to evade the spotlight after being caught sharing a hug on the jumbotron. Following the viral clip, internet sleuths quickly identified the couple as Andy Byron, the CEO, and Kristin Cabot, the chief people officer of a relatively obscure tech company named Astronomer. The video ignited a flurry of memes and discussions about the growing concerns over privacy in public spaces.
During the concert held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, lead singer Chris Martin invited the audience to participate in his “Jumbotron Song.” This segment involves Martin singing a few lines about audience members captured on camera. Initially, the crowd saw a man donning a birthday sash and later two individuals dressed in banana costumes. However, the unexpected highlight was a couple who appeared on the big screen for several seconds, cuddling and beaming at one another. Upon realizing they were being filmed, the woman gasped, covered her face, and turned away, while the man quickly ducked out of the frame. Martin humorously remarked, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”
As the video gained momentum on social media, users began to investigate the identities of the couple. It was soon revealed that the man was Andy Byron, the CEO of Astronomer, and the woman was Kristin Cabot, the chief people officer, essentially the head of human resources. Astronomer, which is headquartered in New York, specializes in providing large corporations with platforms to organize and manage their data effectively. Initially, the company remained tight-lipped about the incident. In a response to an inquiry from The Associated Press, a spokesperson claimed that a statement attributed to Byron circulating online was a “fake from a clearly labeled parody account.” However, the company later confirmed the couple's identities in a statement.
Following the video's viral spread, Byron’s name surged to become one of the top searched terms on Google. In response, Astronomer addressed the incident publicly by announcing on LinkedIn late Friday that Byron had been placed on leave, and the board of directors had initiated a formal investigation. A day later, the company confirmed Byron's resignation. They appointed co-founder and chief product officer Pete DeJoy as the interim CEO while they search for Byron's successor. In the LinkedIn post, the company emphasized, “Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.” DeJoy later reflected on the unusual media attention the company received, stating, “The events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies—let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world—ever encounter.”
It’s essential to be aware that most concert venues, including Gillette Stadium, have signs warning attendees that they may be filmed during events. These notices can typically be found on the walls, near bar areas, or restrooms. Such practices are common, especially for artists who wish to create music videos or concert films. Gillette Stadium also maintains a privacy policy which states: “When you visit our location or attend or participate in an event at our location, we may capture your image, voice and/or likeness, including through the use of CCTV cameras and/or when we film or photograph you in a public location.”
In today’s digital age, videos, whether taken by professional cameras or smartphones, can rapidly circulate online. The footage of the couple quickly spread across social media, sparking speculation about their reaction to being filmed. The public's response ranged from empathy for the couple and their families to sarcastic comments and a multitude of memes. Additionally, the fake statement circulating online about Byron generated a wave of negative attention, leading to reports that his LinkedIn account was disabled following an influx of comments. Mary Angela Bock, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism and Media, noted, “It’s a little bit unsettling how easily we can be identified with biometrics, how our faces are online, how social media can track us — and how the internet has gone from being a place of interaction to a gigantic surveillance system.” She added, “We are being surveilled by our social media. They’re tracking us in exchange for entertaining us.”
