The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has introduced a new Social Media Influencer Policy aimed at using digital creators to take government schemes and development programmes to a wider audience. Under the policy, eligible influencers on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X will be empanelled to promote welfare schemes, government initiatives and development activities. The move marks a shift in the government’s communication strategy, with greater focus on social media platforms and creators who already have a sizeable following.
Influencers to Be Empanelled in Tiers
The policy sets different payment slabs based on the number of followers. Creators with at least 10,000 followers can apply through a dedicated app and will have to undergo a verification process before being empanelled. Those selected will reportedly be issued official ID cards for an initial one-year period. Influencers with 10,000 to 24,999 followers will be eligible for Rs 2,500 a month, while those with 25,000 to 49,999 followers can receive Rs 5,000. The payment rises to Rs 7,500 for creators with 50,000 to 99,999 followers. Creators with more than one lakh followers will be eligible for a base payment of Rs 15,000 a month. Depending on the volume and category of content, the overall monthly payment can reportedly go up to Rs 1.5 lakh.
Why the Govt Is Turning to Influencers
The policy comes at a time when government departments are increasingly looking beyond newspapers, television and conventional publicity to reach people online. Social media influencers already have established audiences and often communicate in a more informal and local style. For the government, working with such creators could help take information about welfare schemes, healthcare, education, agriculture and other public programmes directly to specific groups and communities. The approach could also help the government reach younger audiences who increasingly depend on social media for news and information.
Questions Over Transparency and Political Use
At the same time, the policy raises questions about how government-funded influencer campaigns will be monitored. One key issue is disclosure. If influencers are paid to promote government programmes, their posts would need to clearly indicate that the content is part of a government-sponsored campaign. Without such disclosure, viewers may not know whether a post is independent content or paid government publicity. Another concern is the reliance on follower numbers. Social media followers can include inactive or artificially generated accounts, making it important to assess genuine reach and engagement rather than simply counting followers.
The selection process could also come under scrutiny if influencers perceived as politically aligned with the ruling party receive a larger share of government campaigns. Clear eligibility rules, transparent empanelment and publicly available details of payments could therefore become important safeguards. The new policy effectively puts social media creators into a more formal role in government communication. Its impact will depend largely on how transparently influencers are selected, how payments are monitored and whether the campaigns remain focused on informing people about public services and government programmes.
