Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Three-Way Interaction of Antecedents That Make Social Media Influencers Perceived as Authentic When They Communicate Controversial Social Issues

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Abstract

Social media influencers have played a significant role in raising public consciousness about social issues and generating support for social initiatives. However, influencers may be considered inauthentic if consumers believe they are driven by external factors such as compensation. Therefore, conveying an influencer's authenticity in their involvement with social issues is crucial in developing a favorable impression among consumers regarding the influencer's social issue-related message. Thus, this study aims to examine the antecedents that influence the perceived authenticity of influencers when they promote controversial social causes (e.g., supporting women's abortion rights) on social media. This experiment study confirmed that transparency, the fit between the cause and an influencer's domain of interest (called social cause fit), and the congruency between a consumer's and the influencer's stance on the cause play a 3-way interaction on perceived authenticity. The implications of the study for influencers and companies are discussed. 

Keywords: Transparency, authenticity, congruency, social media, influencer, communication

How to Cite:

Lee, A. & Chung, T., (2025) “Three-Way Interaction of Antecedents That Make Social Media Influencers Perceived as Authentic When They Communicate Controversial Social Issues”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 81(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.18710