Promoting influencer network: a training–action initiative in digital literacy and health promotion in Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

Digital communication has changed the ways in which health information is produced, circulated, and appropriated, bringing new communicators and new challenges in the context of misinformation. This article aims to describe the first training-action program for digital influencers, held in July 2025, conceived as a strategy to foster digital health literacy and promote health on social media platforms. It is a qualitative and descriptive study, grounded in Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, participatory methodologies, and debates on digital health literacy. Through an experience report, it presents a training process that took place over six days, involving in-person activities that combined discussion circles, workshops, games, and group dynamics. The diversity among participants — with varying numbers of followers and previous experiences — enabled meaningful exchanges, stimulating the collective construction of meaning and a critical reflection on the topics addressed. The enthusiasm of the influencers throughout the process stands out, as well as their suggestions to include themes such as sexuality and sexually transmitted infections, which are recognized as highly engaging on their networks. The participants also highlighted the need for a deeper technical training in digital communication production, such as through interaction with social media professionals. The experience concludes by reaffirming dialogical education and the use of social media as strategies to strengthen communication, literacy, and promote health.