Justice behind the virtual mask: The influence of race of the virtual influencer and the creator on promoting the Black Lives Matter movement

The rise of virtual influencers is reshaping the landscape of social media, extending even to the promotion of social causes. Yet, lingering doubts persist regarding the authenticity of their motives. This research delves into the impact of both the racial identities of virtual influencers and those of their creators when linked to the support of racial movements. In terms of source credibility, results find that a creator’s racial background, but not that of a virtual influencer, plays a substantial role, and an interaction effect between these factors was identified. The results also show that individuals’ assessments of a virtual influencer and their message are influenced by the perceived social agency. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.