Samuel I. Cabbuag is a PhD Candidate in Sociology at Hong Kong Baptist University and an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of the Philippines Diliman. His research interests lie at the intersection of digital sociology, influencer cultures, platform studies, youth sociology, popular culture, and digital cultures. He is a Key Regional Leader for Southeast Asia at the TikTok Cultures Research Network. He has published in New Media and Society, Social Media + Society, International Journal of Cultural Studies, Philippine Sociological Review, Asian Politics & Policy, Plaridel, and Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal. His PhD project investigates influencer cultures in the Philippines and their engagement with content creation and everyday politics.