Augmented Reality Technology in Selfie Creation and Dissemination

This study examined how augmented reality (AR) reshapes selfie creation, dissemination, and cultural reception on social media. It analyzed AR filters' technical mechanisms—facial tracking, 3D modeling, and dynamic overlays—that transform selfies from static images into interactive, human-machine collaborative expressions. Filters were categorized into beautification, entertainment, and narrative types, each with distinct functions and contexts. The research explored how AR influences selfie composition and user engagement, while platform algorithms and social feedback drive content trends, sometimes causing homogenization. It also investigated cross-cultural preferences: detailed makeup filters are favored in Japan and South Korea, whereas Western users prefer naturalistic styles, underscoring the need for regional adaptation. By integrating visual design, communication theory, and cultural analysis, this study revealed AR's role in redefining digital self-representation, and it offers insights for creators, platform designers, and researchers on evolving information-technology-driven visual communication.