From dazzling to dimming： How Chinese university students perceive criminal activities among Internet Influencers affects

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Authors

Danni Tang (Corresponding Author)
ROR University of Liverpool
[email protected]

Abstract

This study examines the changes in how university students in China perceive internet influencers that are found to have broken the law. The rationale for conducting this study is that despite the growth in the growing popularity of internet influencer marketing, there is no literature on how internet influencers breaking the law impacts how they are perceived by their followers. To fill this research gap, this paper conducts a comprehensive literature review of the topic as well as uses the qualitative research methodology to collect data from a sample size of 16 individuals. The theoretical frameworks that are used to guide this study are the AISAS theoretical framework and the Cognitive Appraisal Theory. The findings of this study show that the perception of Chinese university students of two internet influencers who break the law is largely negative. The study also shows that these students develop a negative attitude towards brands whose services and products are marketed by internet influencers who are found to have broken the law. The study findings also establish that there is no change in how law-abiding internet influencers are perceived if some of their colleagues break the law.

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Copyright remains with the author(s). All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and the source, a link to the license is provided, and any changes are indicated.

How to Cite

tang, danni. (2025). From dazzling to dimming： How Chinese university students perceive criminal activities among Internet Influencers affects. Journal of Law, Psychology, and Communication Studies, 1(1), 138-179. https://doi.org/10.63802/jlpcs.v1.i1.52

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Issue Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): Foundations and Frontiers: Interdisciplinary Explorations in Law, Psychology, and Communication（基础与前沿：法律、心理学与传播学的跨学科探索）
Pages138-179
Published2025-07-22
DOI10.63802/jlpcs.v1.i1.52
SectionEnglish Issue
EISSN3052-9654
AccessOpen Access
Keywords
crime marketing internet influencer consumer
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Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Law, Psychology, and Communication Studies. Authors retain full copyright. Articles are published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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