Chronotopic layers of virtual authenticity: decoding Lil Miquela ’s multi-faceted digital identity

Abstract

This study examines the intricate interplay between identity construction and multimodal communication in the evolving landscape of Virtual Influencers (VIs), with a particular focus on Lil Miquela. It addresses a critical gap in understanding how algorithmic infrastructures mediate identity performance through complex semiotic and chronotopic configurations. Adopting a techno-affective and social semiotic approach, the research conducts a chronotopic analysis of 35 (sponsored) posts from Lil Miquela’s official Instagram account (21 January–June 2024), integrating Bakhtin’s chronotope with Danesi’s semiotic model. Guided by three key questions, the article explores: (1) the role of emojis as semiotic resources in her digital identity construction; (2) the mediation of her spatiotemporal identity dynamics by algorithmic infrastructures; and (3) the relationship between multimodal affordances, techno-affective elements and perceptions of authenticity. By interrogating the intersection of chronotopic configurations, algorithmic mediation and digital semiotics, this research reveals how her identity is continuously (re)negotiated in response to shifting algorithmic and socio-discursive conditions. Ultimately, it contributes to a deeper understanding of how VIs navigate digital authenticity and identity performance within the constraints and affordances of algorithmic mediation.