New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration is providing special access to a network of approximately 200 social media influencers, distributing municipal talking points and videos through an encrypted Signal group chat. This practice has prompted concerns regarding compliance with city record-keeping laws, according to a report by the Columbia Journalism Review.
The Signal group, dubbed "NYC Creators Announcements," allows influencers to disseminate information about city programs, including voting, healthcare, immigration, tenants' rights, participatory budgeting, and composting. The encrypted nature of Signal, which features a disappearing messages option, has raised questions about whether communications adhere to legal requirements for preserving city records.
When questioned by reporters about the potential violation of city laws, Mamdani stated, "My administration will always strive to fully comply with all legal requirements, including those that relate to the preservation of city records." He added, "If there are any departures from what is legally required, my administration will look into it immediately and take corrective action."
The use of Signal for government communications has previously drawn scrutiny. Last year, then-Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced criticism after sensitive military information was shared in a Signal group that included a journalist.
The report also indicated that while influencers are not directly paid by the city for participating in the Signal group or for their coverage, some receive payments from marketing and advertising firms that have contracts with city agencies. These payments are for work on specific messaging campaigns, with city employees reporting that payments have ranged from $5,000 to $20,000 per campaign.
The "NYC Creators Announcements" group was established following the formation of Creators4Zohran, a group that supported Mamdani's 2025 mayoral campaign. Mamdani, who won election as the city's first socialist mayor, leads this initiative through Emilia Rowland, New York City's director of new media and cultural communications. Rowland and her staff reportedly provide daily updates, talking points, and video clips for the influencers to use in their social media posts, mirroring traditional press list operations.
Mamdani defended the administration's outreach strategy, stating, "New Yorkers get their news in a wide variety of ways, and it is our responsibility to ensure that we communicate information from city government directly to the people of the city, whether that means to all of you, to TV, to radio, to social media, to content creators and so on and so forth."
Mamdani's administration has also faced decisions regarding content for students, having recently banned certain materials for elementary and middle school students in New York City.
Mamdani's mayoral victory in 2025 marked a significant political shift, as he defeated Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in a closely watched election.