IN FOCUS: We're all fans now – but where's the line between admiration and obsession?

Parasocial relationships, or one-sided connections with media personas, are often solely associated with obsessive fan behaviour. But with social media's ubiquity, almost everyone's had a parasocial interaction in varying degrees. According to Assoc Prof Patrick Williams from NTU’s SSS, some politicians are using their social media presence and persona to appear down-to-earth. Parasocial relationships can be intensified when a marketing and public relations strategy engages and supports such fan behaviour too, said Assoc Prof Williams. However, he cautions against implying that all fandoms are cults or that they exhibit cult-like behaviour.

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