break the Internet

verb4

1. •
   (informal) To cause a connection to the Internet, or the Internet itself, to malfunction.

   • Advocacy groups warned that entertainment companies—who invested heavily in lobbying for the bills—where trying to “break the Internet”; […] — 2014
2. •
   (Internet, figurative) To do or say something ostentatious or controversial, such that the behavior causes a dramatic increase in traffic to a website or commentary on social media; to go viral.
3. •
   (humorous, figurative) To overwhelm a web server through organic user-driven demand, such that the server goes offline or is in danger of doing so.
4. •
   (figurative) To deliberately overwhelm a web server through a cyberattack such as a DDOS, such that the server goes offline or is in danger of doing so.