BACKGROUND: This study aimed to understand how tobacco marketing persists on social media platforms in Brazil despite regulatory bans. With the 2009 prohibition of
electronic cigarette advertising, brands and retailers have adapted their strategies, leveraging platforms like Instagram to reach younger audiences subtly.
METHODS: Data was collected from January 1 - December 31, 2023, on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Using natural language processing (NLP) and media analytics tool FanPage Karma, conversations about tobacco and electronic cigarettes were tracked and categorized. Social network analysis was used to identify the sentiment of subgroups based on graph theory, which is a branch of mathematics that studies the properties and relationships between objects represented as graphs. In a graph, the objects are called nodes (or vertices), and the connections between them are called edges (or links).
RESULTS: Over 3.4 million mentions were tracked, with electronic cigarettes comprising 14% of the total. Instagram was the primary channel for indirect promotion, dominated by third-party retailers/stores using humor and flavor-focused narratives to appeal to youth. Public sentiment remained predominantly negative, with health concerns at the forefront. The strategic use of influencers by stores/retailers, and recycling accounts to evade enforcement was observed.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite the regulatory ban, social media allows for persistent tobacco promotion, reshaping perceptions and normative behavior toward smoking and electronic cigarette use. Strengthening monitoring and enforcing penalties for indirect promotions are critical to upholding public health policies.