Migrant Social Media Influencers as Vernacular CERC Agents: Mediating Government Communication During Covid-19

Abstract

Effective government communication is crucial for promoting inclusive governance, especially in increasingly diverse societies. However, a significant gap remains in engaging residents with migration backgrounds, often leaving these communities underinformed and underserved in public discourse. This shortfall becomes especially critical during crises like the Covid-19 pandemic. Among transnational migrants in various countries, social networks were the main sources of information about Covid-19. Social media influencers with migration backgrounds became crucial transmitters of governmental information to their audiences. For instance, in 2020, Russian-speaking female bloggers in almost 40 countries started a global discussion about the Covid-19 outbreak on Instagram. This article presents the results of a content analysis of 113 Instagram posts by 58 Russian-speaking female influencers in 37 countries during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. It demonstrates that influencers acted as primary information sources. Instead of relying on news media, they spread information from governmental sources to audiences within their countries of residence and globally. In this article, I highlight how strategic use of social media can bridge the communication divide, ensuring that residents with migration backgrounds integrate better into the public information ecosystem while balancing public service with ethical governance