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Instagram: new blue checkmarks for 35 virtual influencers

One of Meta’s social networks, Instagram, has verified and authenticated non-human profiles as trustworthy by giving 35 virtual influencers the “blue checkmark”, thereby making them verified, authentic and trustworthy. 

Instagram: 35 virtual influencers receive the blue checkmark

The social network of photos, stories and reels, Instagram, has given its “blue checkmark” for verification, authenticity and reliability to the accounts of 35 virtual influencers. This was highlighted by Virtual Humans in a post on the social network of crypto-lovers Twitter:

“Did you know that Instagram has verified over 30 virtual influencers? Learn who has the blue checkmark in our latest article”.

Basically, upon request, Instagram proceeds to give or not give a “verification badge” or what is commonly referred to as a “blue checkmark/tick”, displayed next to the Instagram account name in searches and on the profile. This blue tick indicates that Instagram has confirmed the account and that this profile is the authentic presence of the public figure, celebrity or brand it represents. 

It is not specified whether or not this authenticated figure should be a human, dog or virtual influencer, so getting this blue tick equates legitimacy to the creator of the account. 

Virtual influencer data
Average engagement rate of virtual accounts compared to total accounts

Among the various names of the 35 virtual influencers with a blue tick, the most prominent is Lu of Magazine Luiza (@magazineluiza), with 5.8 million followers who would be the brand spokesperson for Brazilian conglomerate Magazine Luiza. Next in line is Miquela Sousa (@lilmiquela) with 3.1 million followers, and Casas Bahias (@casabahia) with 3 million followers. 

Social network rewards growth of metaverse 

According to reports, Becky Owen, Head of Creator Innovation & Solutions at Meta, said that the growth of the metaverse is driving the virtual influencer phenomenon. Here are her words:

“Virtual influencers are a fast-rising phenomenon. What has previously felt like a fringe medium of expression has suddenly become central to our digital experiences. And as we head towards the metaverse—it is only set to grow”.

These computer-generated personas, on average, are garnering engagement rates up to three times higher than human influencers on Instagram. 

Owen goes on to describe how the opportunity for virtual influencers represents the freedom for creators to create a persona and achieve a connection, without the need to drastically alter their human selves or their financial situation.

Finally, Owen explains how Meta Platform, the company behind Instagram, is focusing on this type of influencer. To that end, here’s what she said:

“At Meta, we are exploring what this new chapter of influencer marketing could eventually evolve into—both the good and bad—to help brands navigate the ethical quandaries of this emerging medium. I’m fascinated by it, and I can’t wait to see what’s next”.

Hacker attacks in the metaverse: the most common risks

And while the metaverse is growing rapidly, so are hacker attacks with privacy and security concerns. 

Recently, the Italian company Ermes – Intelligent Web Protection identified the main forms of cybercrime risk in the new dimension for users, which are:

  • information theft
  • identity theft;
  • cryptocurrency theft.

Not only that, the metaverse also puts companies at risk of hacker attacks. Here, too, Ermes has identified which are the main risks also for companies:

  • FOMO (Fear of Missing Out);
  • Compromise of integrity;
  • Copyright infringement.

 

Eleonora Spagnolo
Eleonora Spagnolo
Journalist passionate about the web and the digital world. She graduated with honours in Multimedia Publishing at the University La Sapienza in Rome and completed a master's degree in Web and Social Media Marketing.
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