Final answer:
The online 'pass-it-along' strategy mentioned is viral marketing, which uses social networking and media sharing to spread a brand's message widely. This strategy contributes to the formation of global online communities, as reflected in shared cultural media like comic books, Wikipedia, and brand advertisements. Option D.
Step-by-step explanation:
The online "pass-it-along" strategy referred to in the student's question is D. viral marketing. Viral marketing is a deliberate approach by which companies encourage individuals to share their content or message with others, typically through social networking, media sharing, and other online platforms, resulting in the exponential spread of the product or brand's message, much like a virus spreads.
This strategy leverages various types of social media, including bookmarks, social news, and microblogging among others.
Sociologists often contemplate the internet's role in nurturing global communities through these shared interactions and experiences.
The idea is that as more people engage on global platforms, depending on the nature and extent of their online activities, they may become part of a global culture.
This shared culture is expressed and perpetuated through media, which can be anything from comic books, to user-edited sites like Wikipedia, music channels like MTV, and advertisements from global brands like Coca-Cola.
Hence, the right answer is option D.