Virtual Social Media Influencers Are Posing As Humans

Jennifer Grygiel, assistant professor of communications in the Newhouse School, was quoted in the CNN story “ Instagram star isn’t what she seems. But brands are buying in.”

Grygiel, an expert in social media, agrees with the idea of influencers revealing if they are real or not. Grygiel says, “It’s not obvious she’s [ Miquela, a robot, a part of an emerging group of ‘fake’ virtual influencers] a [CGI, computer-generated image], and it’s not obvious on the post level.” Prof. Grygiel says the concept is “deeply problematic.”

As a child, Grygiel explains, “…at least we knew Barbie was a doll.”  Grygiel says there could be people who thought Miquela was a real person. “We need the brands to disclose. We also need these companies to help so they’re not facilitating and participating in this mass deception.”