The Ed Balls meme, also known as Ed Balls Day, originated on April 28, 2011, when the British politician mistakenly tweeted his own name while searching for a mention of himself on Twitter. Instead of using the search bar, he posted 'Ed Balls' as a standalone status, which instantly went viral. Every year on April 28th, internet users commemorate the accidental tweet by reposting his name and creating variations of the original screenshot. The meme has become a symbol of relatable technological mishaps and is widely celebrated across social media platforms as a wholesome moment in political history.