“Live Match” and virtual influence: when brands impose themselves as ethical mediators of new influence spaces

Abstract

On social media, influencers and content creators are developing new commercial influence practices that fall outside the current legislative framework. While regulatory bodies are developing tools to better oversee this influence, certain innovations, such as TikTok’s “Live Match” and virtual influencers on Instagram, expose the limitations of these regulations. This research analyzes how brands can serve as ethical mediators in these new, unregulated spaces of influence. Interviews with industry professionals reveal the need for more appropriate regulation and suggest that brands, through their partnership strategies,
could contribute to establishing ethical standards in these spaces. This research highlights the emergence of a new brand ethos, positioning brands as potential guarantors of responsible commercial influence on social media.