The Impact of Virtual Idols on Audience in Today’s Society
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jnme.202610210
Author(s)
Tianye Song
Affiliation(s)
University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
Abstract
This paper examines how virtual idols influence young audiences’ engagement, emotions, and consumption-related attitudes within contemporary digital entertainment and marketing environments. Using a cross-sectional online survey of 168 respondents aged 15–25, the study describes patterns of platform use, acceptance of virtual characters, participation in fan communities, perceived emotional value, and self-reported purchasing and social interaction outcomes. Results indicate that respondents are predominantly young, highly active social media users, with many expressing neutrality or acceptance toward virtual idols, limited fan-group membership, and generally low reported spending on virtual-idol products. While respondents reported mainly positive emotional value from virtual idol content, most did not believe virtual idols would replace human idols. The study contributes descriptive audience evidence and highlights the need for future research using comparative designs and inferential modelling to test mechanisms and subgroup differences.
Keywords
Virtual Idols; Young People; Impact, Entertainment; Marketing; AI Technology; Consumer Behavior; Cultural Production; Social Interaction; Fan Communities
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