IT is a new viral video that is taking the world by storm.

Former Southampton Solent University student Gary Turk has become an internet sensation after his YouTube video was viewed more than 20m times in one week.

The film, titled Look Up, is an emotionally driven appeal to people to put down their phones and iPads and enjoy face-to-face conversations and experiences in the real world.

It also features a brief love story that is revealed to have never happened because the male character was too busy looking at his phone to notice the girl of his dreams walk by.

He also acknowledged the irony of using a viral video to get his message out, and said: “I'm guilty too of being part of this machine, this digital world where we are heard but not seen.”

Writer/director Gary, who also worked at the Mayflower Theatre, has even had the video shared on Twitter by Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and American pop singer Jordin Sparks.

So far the response has been very positive, with comments left praising his message and using the slogan 'disconnect to connect', featured in the video.

However, some have criticised it for hypocrisy - the video's success is largely down to social media.