Social Media Influencers: A New Approach to Academic Integrity in Higher Education

Opening Context Academic integrity is under growing pressure, but the digital spaces where students spend their time may also offer part of the solution. Across higher education, contract cheating, artificial intelligence and the commodification of knowledge create challenges that cannot be addressed through detection and punishment alone. In Ireland, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and the National Academic Integrity Network (NAIN) emphasise cultural change, education, awareness and collaboration across the sector. At the same time, Generation Z students engage extensively with social media and often encounter information, advice and influential voices through these platforms. This creates an opportunity to consider a different communication route: working with social media influencers to reinforce values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. The question is not whether influencers are powerful, but whether that influence can be used ethically to support academic integrity. Research Overview Published in the Irish Journal of Education in 2025, this research examines how social media influencers could contribute to academic integrity initiatives in Irish higher education. The study draws on participation in academic integrity events organised by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and the National Academic Integrity Network (NAIN), alongside earlier research with Generation Z in Ireland, published in Frontiers in Communication as well as Studies in Media and Communication in 2023. This previous work explored why young people follow and respond to social media influencers, identifying factors such as trust, relatability, personality and the sense of connection followers develop with online personalities. Bringing these strands of research together, the study considers the opportunities, risks and ethical considerations associated with using influencers to communicate academic integrity messages and proposes a practical framework for how higher education institutions could explore this approach. Key Insights / Findings Two insights from this research are especially important. First, social media influencers may offer higher education institutions a credible route to students because their influence is built on trust, relatability and parasocial relationships. Academic integrity messages may therefore be more persuasive when delivered by influencers whose values, content and audiences genuinely align with education and ethical behaviour. Second, academic dishonesty should not be treated simply as a failure of personal morality. Work pressures, financial constraints, long commutes, fear of failure, performance anxiety, low confidence and limited institutional support can contribute to misconduct. Influencer campaigns should avoid punitive or patronising messages. Instead, they can normalise help-seeking, discuss academic challenges, signpost institutional supports and promote practical strategies such as time management. Because susceptibility to influencer persuasion varies by personality, messaging should be tailored rather than assuming all students respond in the same way. Why It Matters (Impact & Relevance) The research matters because academic integrity protects the credibility of qualifications, institutions and the knowledge produced within higher education. For Irish institutions, influencer-led communication could complement existing approaches by moving beyond reactive detection towards prevention, awareness and culture-building. Students could encounter integrity messages in familiar, relatable digital environments, while professional services staff, institutional leaders, academics, researchers, NAIN members and policymakers can help ensure campaigns remain evidence-based, ethical and aligned with institutional standards. Such an approach would not replace robust policy, staff training, assessment design or detection mechanisms. Instead, it could add a communication layer to a wider strategy. If implemented responsibly, it could help institutions reach students who disengage from traditional integrity messaging and encourage a more supportive understanding of ethical academic behaviour. Wider Context / Application / Next Steps The recommended next step is a pilot study to test whether influencer-led academic integrity communication is feasible and effective before wider implementation. Higher education institutions could identify suitable influencers, including locally relevant voices, whose values and audiences align with education and integrity. Partnerships should involve co-created content, training and resources from institutions, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and the National Academic Integrity Network (NAIN), followed by a campaign with clear messages and calls to action. Reach, engagement and perceptions of academic integrity should be monitored using digital analytics, with student feedback used to refine approaches. If pilots show positive results, institutions could build longer-term influencer networks, recognition mechanisms and reporting pathways for online promotion of dishonest practices. Future research should test how message framing can engage different personality profiles and students at greater risk of unethical academic behaviour.