Credibility and persuasion in the era of misinformation: digital nursing influencers in Brazil

Abstract

Objective To analyze the audience and performance of digital nursing influencers in the era of misinformation. Methods Cross-sectional, descriptive, exploratory study conducted with data obtained from publicly accessible online social media of digital nursing influencers. Results 234 profiles of digital influencers in the area of Nursing were mapped: 62.39% have between 10 thousand and 100 thousand followers; 31.2% have between 100 thousand and 500 thousand users; 5.1% reach between 500 thousand and one million followers; and 1.2% have more than one million followers. Together, these communicators reach approximately 32 million users on social media. Conclusion Digital nursing influencers are relevant social media communicators and have the potential to influence the opinion of a significant volume of followers that together represent 10% of the Brazilian population identified by the latest census carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. They are strategic actors for the dissemination of truthful, complete and reliable information about nursing, health and related topics. On the other hand, they are channels of proliferation of malicious content, inaccurate information, fake news and disinformation.