Authenticity Online Incentives Alter Behaviour

Given that authenticity is central to influencer performance (Audrezet et al., 2020, Lee and Eastin, 2021, Leung et al., 2022, Leung et al., 2022), authenticity management strategies for sponsored videos are the key to video influencers’ success. Audrezet et al. (2020) were the first to conceptualize authenticity management strategies by proposing two types: transparent and passionate. Transparent authenticity strategies refer to influencers who explicitly disclose the content of their endorsements to maintain transparency and authenticity, while passionate authenticity strategies refer to influencers who express their inner authentic motivations through verbal–behavioral consistency (Audrezet et al., 2020).

The Virtual Influencer Trust and Engagement Model (VITEM) is a novel framework that elucidates the relationships between authenticity, disclosure transparency, and cultural context. It shows trust to be a key mediating factor, emphasizing cultural differences in consumer responses to virtual influencers. The present study offers insights to a range of professionals, including marketers, researchers, policymakers, psychologists, and consumer wellbeing stakeholders, on the responsible leveraging of virtual influencers in an evolving digital landscape.

Hypotheses 1, 2, 3, and 4 posit that the informative and entertainment value of influencer-generated content, as well as the authenticity and homophily of influencers, will have a positive impact on the PSR between influencers and their followers.

The participants' investment in the idea of authenticity extends to the belief that their offline personas match their online display, as Participant E said, “I'm pretty much always the same, online and offline.” This statement suggests that her offline persona is also monitored, and that there is a degree of intentional and performative self-construction at every level of daily life. If we accept their claims about the cohesion between their Instagram profiles and their offline selves, the lives of the participants could be seen as a performance of authentic living, as “performance engulfs a radically constructionist notion, suggesting that personal narrative performance is a site in which social meaning – including that of a narrator's identity – is fervently negotiated and constructed” (Noy, 2004, p.

Do you think the app is “over”? What other social media platforms, if any, do you use? What do you enjoy about them? What do you not like about them? Do you think it is possible for a social media app to be truly authentic? Is there value in capturing and sharing our ordinary, everyday lives? Or is true authenticity too boring?

Social media authenticity in this context transcends posting behind-the-scenes content or using a casual tone. It means communicating with clarity, consistency, and purpose. Brands that engage transparently, own their values, and respond ...

Today’s signals for authenticity on social media are very different from what they were just a few years ago. Audiences now understand that raw video content doesn’t necessarily equate to authenticity, as even the most lo-fi videos are often scripted and planned.

I’ve worked with clients who feel pressure to share their darkest moments publicly, not because it aids their healing, but because it performs well algorithmically. Maintaining authenticity social media presence requires substantial emotional labor—what sociologist Brooke Erin Duffy calls “aspirational labor.” For many, particularly young people and marginalized communities, this labor is unpaid yet expected. The pressure to maintain an authentic personal brand becomes a second job, one that disproportionately affects those already struggling with precarious employment.

By being true to oneself, people can cultivate a strong sense of self-worth, leading to greater self-acceptance, personal fulfillment, and overall well-being. Authenticity breeds trust and attracts like-minded individuals who appreciate and value sincerity, forming meaningful relationships built on mutual understanding and respect. ... Performative behavior, on the other hand, revolves around projecting a carefully curated image for the purpose of gaining approval, admiration, or social validation.