Thanks to the reach provided by social media, fans can get closer to their idols than ever before. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Fan Yang, an assistant professor of communication at the University at Albany, about the implications of the resulting parakin relationships for stars and brands.

The demand for more authentic online communities is surging in the wake of the pandemic. Soul, a Chinese social media app and ‘virtual social playground’, focuses on building emotional connections through immersive worlds, putting individual interests and personalities first.

Anime celebs are amassing swathes of followers on YouTube, stealing hearts of the internet’s lonesome. As people’s expectations around intimacy evolve within tech, more are finding greater comfort from virtual avatars over real-life relationships.

Chinese streaming platform iQIYI has created the first live variety show made up of entirely virtual contestants. Despite a few technical glitches and mixed reviews, the show was widely watched, suggesting that CGI influencers are gradually gaining more recognition and acceptance.