New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has organized a network of approximately 200 social media influencers to promote municipal programs through a dedicated Signal group, according to a report by the Columbia Journalism Review.
The influencers, who operate under the name Creators4Zohran, receive talking points and press updates from the mayor’s communications team via an encrypted Signal group chat titled NYC Creators Announcements. The group includes content creators who voluntarily supported Mamdani during his 2025 mayoral campaign. Some influencers have also been paid by city agencies or their contractors to participate in messaging campaigns for programs such as voting, healthcare, immigration, tenants’ rights, participatory budgeting, and composting.
City Hall has not disclosed whether the Signal group’s disappearing-messages feature is enabled, raising questions about compliance with New York City’s record-keeping laws. Mamdani stated in response to inquiries that his administration is committed to full legal compliance and will investigate any deviations if identified. The use of encrypted messaging for government communications has drawn scrutiny in the past, including a 2023 incident involving the U.S. Department of Defense.
City Hall’s outreach structure
The administration’s communications team sends press releases, talking points, and pre-produced videos to the Signal group, which influencers then use to create and share content promoting city initiatives. While the city does not pay influencers directly for participating in the group, some have received payments from marketing firms contracted by city agencies for specific campaigns. The Columbia Journalism Review report did not specify the total number of influencers compensated through these contracts.
Policy focus of promoted programs
The messaging campaigns center on key municipal priorities, including:
- Voting and civic engagement
- Healthcare access
- Immigration services
- Tenant protections
- Participatory budgeting
- Waste reduction and composting
Official response and legal considerations
Mamdani’s office has not provided details on whether the Signal group’s communications are archived or retained for public records requests. The mayor’s spokesperson reiterated that the administration follows all legal requirements regarding record preservation but did not address whether the use of Signal complies with existing policies.
The arrangement follows Mamdani’s broader strategy of leveraging digital platforms to amplify city messaging, a tactic he employed during his campaign. The administration has not publicly disclosed the full list of influencers involved or the criteria for inclusion in the group.