Participate in Philanthropy for Idols or Society? Fans’ Social Media Practices, Dual Identity, and Civic Engagement in Chinese Online Fandom

Abstract

Fan philanthropy in China has undergone a significant transformation with the rise of social media platforms, allowing fan communities to showcase unprecedented organizational capabilities and efficient collective action. It is worth noting that behind this collective action is the dual identity mechanism of Chinese fans who both support idols as fans and need to be positive citizens. This article employs the social identity model of collective action (SIMCA) to investigate how different fans’ social media practices impact their philanthropic action. Based on survey data from 700 respondents with fan philanthropy experiences online in China, this study differentiates between fans’ data and textual practices, uncovering that these practices enhance both group and civic identities. However, data practices, being more structured, notably boost group identity more significantly. Fans’ group identity directly affects fans’ philanthropic participation, whereas fans’ civic identity has no significant impact. Notably, the dual identity indirectly affects participation through participatory efficacy. As such, this study highlights the performative nature of fan philanthropy under rigorous state governance. It suggests that while fan philanthropy aids in achieving fan goals and has the potential to connect with broader civic activities, its primary function remains celebrity promotion, raising questions about its effectiveness as true civic participation.