I’ll be online for you: parasocial relationships with social media influencers, loneliness and the mediating role of real friendships

Key Points

• Parasocial relationships positively correlate with loneliness, indicating that individuals may feel more isolated despite online connections.
• Increased time spent engaging with social media influencers relates to higher feelings of loneliness among users.
• Analysis included various age groups, highlighting significant trends in how influencer interactions impact social well-being.
• Findings suggest a need for more emphasis on fostering real friendships to combat loneliness exacerbated by social media interactions.