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.

Emerging at the peak of China’s virtual idol mania comes Ayayi, who is the country’s first metahuman. As virtual key opinion leaders gain more clout in China’s social commerce realm, it’s reflecting a shift of people’s aspirations as they look towards meta idols as figures of collective identity.

VTubers are drawing mass appeal among anime, comic, and gaming enthusiasts. As people increasingly turn towards virtual worlds as a source of entertainment and intimacy, digital idols demonstrate how people are seeking fantasy and next-level comfort in their relationships.

Technological advances are continuously reshaping how people interact, engage, and communicate with one another in the digital world. But how will people navigate social situations in the metaverse? Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Guo Freeman about how people form relationships in social VR.