The recovered ads promoted COVID shots for children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers while a 247.7-million-message monitoring system shaped the campaign’s talking points.
The federal government funded an $80 million project that paid 496 social-media influencers to promote COVID vaccines.
The project’s own report disclosed the existence of these influencers, but it never named them.
I traced Instagram paid-partnership labels, #ad captions, reposts and archived advertising records to identify 57 accounts connected to apparently sponsored campaign content.
The recovered posts reveal what the government-funded vaccine push looked like inside people’s feeds:
A technology creator told followers: “Do your part, step up, get vaccinated and vaccinate your children!!”
A native paid partnership promoted vaccination during pregnancy and claimed babies born to vaccinated mothers faced a lower risk of COVID hospitalization.
Another paid partnership highlighted a vaccinated six-year-old and said the family acted partly to protect a two-year-old.
An official campaign repost carrying #ad invoked pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding while calling vaccination the “BEST decision” for a mother and her daughter.
A campaign-linked contest offered a $100 Amazon gift card for public vaccination stories and recruitment into El Beacon’s volunteer network.
Another official repost carrying #ad described the vaccines as “completely safe”.
The thesis is not complicated: federal health money supported a project that paid private social-media personalities to convince people to take COVID vaccines.
But behind those posts was an operation built to monitor the vaccine debate and update its messaging in response.
THE SYSTEM BEHIND THE PAID POSTS
From September 2021 through April 2022, Public Good Projects and Hispanic Communications Network ran English- and Spanish-language searches containing hundreds of vaccine-related keywords, hashtags and phrases.
The system captured 212.7 million English-language messages and 35 million Spanish-language messages from social-media platforms, news sites, video sites and other public sources—247.7 million in total.
Staff reviewed leading results every week for claims they classified as trending or emerging misinformation. The report says the findings “directly informed” prompts telling influencers “what to include in their posts’ captions.” Those prompts were updated throughout the year.
Public Good Projects also monitored comments for misinformation and supplied influencers with counter-messaging or resources. The same monitoring findings produced weekly rebuttal guidance for Hispanic-serving community organizations.
The 496 influencers produced 1,000 posts—524 Instagram feed posts, 468 Instagram Stories and eight posts across Facebook, TikTok and Twitter. The campaign reported a potential reach of 37.2 million people.
The influencer network was only one part of the operation. The project also recruited 1,034 digital volunteers and two celebrities, produced 206 “misinformation insights” and 206 rebuttal talking points, and distributed messaging through newsletters, social-media materials, community trainings, Spanish-language radio announcements and op-eds.
WHO PAID FOR IT
The report states that the project was “100 percent funded by CDC/HHS.”
Federal records place the work under a broader $25.66 million fiscal-year 2021 award from the CDC’s immunization center to the CDC Foundation. That amount funded the wider Partnering for Vaccine Equity program—not El Beacon alone—and the records do not reveal how much was spent on the influencers.
The CDC Foundation worked with Public Good Projects, Hispanic Communications Network and World Voices Media. Public Good Projects created El Beacon and recruited the paid influencer network.
The recovered ads generally disclosed a relationship with El Beacon through #ad, paid-partnership labels or campaign branding. El Beacon separately recruited unpaid volunteers and reposted some vaccine testimonials without advertising labels, while the 57 accounts identified here were tied to posts carrying #ad, a “paid partnership” label or equivalent advertising metadata—strong evidence that the promotions involved money or another benefit.
But none of the sponsorship disclosures in the recovered 57-account sample identified CDC, HHS or the CDC Foundation as the ultimate source of the funding. Followers were shown El Beacon. They were not shown the federal government and monitoring system behind it.
THE RECEIPTS
Not an abstract strategy. These are the recovered posts. The examples below show what the federally funded campaign published or amplified. The unedited screenshots accompanying this article appear in the same order.
CHILDREN
“Vaccinate your children!!” An official El Beacon repost preserving #ad quoted Fabio Dias: “Do your part, step up, get vaccinated and vaccinate your children!!”
A six-year-old—and a two-year-old. In a native paid partnership, Angelica Castaneda said her six-year-old was among the first vaccinated after becoming eligible and that the family acted partly to protect their two-year-old.
“Become a superhero.” An official repost preserving #ad from Ana Cruz centered on a boy with delicate lungs and his protective older brother, ending, in translation: “For the most vulnerable, for those you love most, GET VACCINATED and become a superhero too.”
PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING
The infant-hospitalization appeal. In a native paid partnership, Mariza Dávila-Madwid said babies born to vaccinated mothers faced a lower risk of COVID-19 hospitalization and that she was vaccinated while pregnant to protect her daughter.
The “BEST decision.” In an official repost preserving #ad, Paola V. Desideri invoked pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding while calling vaccination the “BEST decision” for herself and her daughter.
GIFT CARDS FOR PUBLIC VACCINATION STORIES
$100. A native paid-partnership post from Erica Marques promoted a $100 Amazon-card contest requiring entrants to explain why they were vaccinated or boosted, follow El Beacon and join its volunteer network.
$200. El Beacon’s own account offered a $200 Amazon gift card and bonus entries for publicly explaining a vaccination decision and sharing the campaign. These were incentives for testimonial content and recruitment—not payments simply for receiving a shot.
THE ANTI-“MISINFORMATION” CAMPAIGN’S OWN CLAIMS
“678%.” An official repost preserving #ad from Juliana Separavic said “over 678% of Americans over the age of 5 are fully vaccinated.” The impossible number appears to be a missing decimal point.
“Completely safe.” An official repost preserving #ad from Thayna Beddes called vaccination “the most effective way to stop contamination and the emergence of new variants” and described the vaccines as “completely safe.”
INTO NON-HEALTH FEEDS
“NON-BOOKISH CONTENT.” Book creator Carmen Alvarez opened her native paid partnership with that warning before introducing vaccine messaging to her literary audience.
Reality television to public health. Amazing Race winner Will Jardell posted a January 2022 vaccine testimonial that El Beacon republished with #ad. A CDC-funded PHI fellowship program featured Jardell in July 2022; records do not establish when his fellowship began or coordination between the programs.
The 57 accounts identified
Fifty-five links below lead to recovered Instagram posts. Kristina Guerrero’s original post is unavailable and survives only in an indexed advertising record; AFP independently preserved and verified Lisa Marie Borjas’s campaign post.
Akinyi Ragwar (@fitsonme) — Campaign post — Fashion blogger and personal-style creator.
Alejandra Arce (@alearce) — Campaign post — Marketing professional and yoga, technology and lifestyle creator.
@alinefreemann (now @usa.homemade) — Campaign post — Lifestyle and home-content creator.
Amelia Valentin (@amelialadomiriquena) — Campaign post — Content creator, singer, editor and on-air host.
Ana Cruz (@rollosdemujeres) — Campaign post — Bilingual journalist and founder/editor of Rollos de Mujeres.
Ana Molina (@anaxmolina) — Campaign post — Latina lifestyle and social-media creator.
Ana Victoria Perez (@anavictoriaperez_) — Campaign post — Fashion, shopping and lifestyle creator.
Andreia Leifer (@andreialeifer) — Campaign post — Fashion, beauty and lifestyle creator.
Angelica Castaneda (@angelicacastaneda_) — Campaign post — Family, travel and lifestyle blogger.
Araceli Bindrup (@arybindrup) — Campaign post — Family and lifestyle creator covering fashion, home décor and travel.
Awilda (@iam.awilda) — Campaign post — User-generated-content and lifestyle creator; no verified surname was recovered.
Bianca Fortney (@biancafortney) — Campaign post — Fashion, beauty, lifestyle and user-generated-content creator.
Carla Riojas (@carlariojasmusic) — Campaign post — Singer-songwriter and recording artist.
Carmen Alvarez (@tomesandtextiles) — Campaign post — Book creator focused on Latino literature and a library advocate.
Carolina Abdala (@carolinaabdala) — Campaign post — Beauty, home-décor, family and lifestyle creator.
Cynthia Pratt (@superpratt) — Campaign post — Arizona-based lifestyle and travel creator.
Dalia Patron (@msdaliapatron) — Campaign post — Fashion, beauty, wellness and user-generated-content creator.
Dani Lynch (@itsmedanilynch) — Campaign post — Utah-based social-media creator; no narrower specialty was reliably verified.
David Tutera (@davidtutera) — Campaign post — Celebrity wedding planner, designer and television host.
Edna Freeman (@ednacfreeman) — Campaign post — Actress, author and motherhood/lifestyle creator.
Erica Marques (@ericaamarks) — Campaign post — Lifestyle, motherhood and sustainability creator.
Fabio Dias (@kinzaum) — Campaign post — Technology-unboxing and product-review creator.
Fridda Fernández (@cherry.fr) — Campaign post — New York-based Latina lifestyle creator and communications professional.
Genesis Lagos (@genesis_lagos) — Campaign post — Disney, family and travel creator.
Guadalupe Ochoa (@fellowfashionista) — Campaign post — Fashion blogger and creator behind Fellow Fashionista.
Gustavo Finol (@gusfinol) — Campaign post — Fashion producer, public-relations professional and actor.
Jennifer Lee / Prickly Blonde (@pricklyblonde) — Campaign post — Secondhand, thrift and sustainable-fashion creator.
Jessica Moore (@missmoorestyle) — Campaign post — Budget-fashion, beauty and travel blogger behind Miss Moore Style.
Juliana Separavic (@juseparavic) — Campaign post — Lifestyle and consumer-product brand-content creator; no narrower niche was independently established.
Julie Hauptmann / Jules Cali (@jules_cali) — Campaign post — Luxury-fashion, beauty and travel blogger.
Karina Abdul (@karinaabdulm) — Campaign post — Fashion designer and entrepreneur behind KABDUL, with lifestyle and modeling content.
Kelsey Kaplan (@kelseykaplanfashion) — Campaign post — San Francisco fashion blogger focused on petite styling, with motherhood content.
Kristina Guerrero (@kristinaguerrero) — Indexed campaign-ad record; original post unavailable — Former E! News and Inside Edition correspondent and television host.
Lesley Argotti (@lesleyargotti) — Campaign post — Bilingual fashion-and-lifestyle creator and visual artist.
Lisa Marie Borjas — Campaign post (Facebook) (AFP verification) — Venezuelan fashion stylist and beauty creator; her Instagram handle remains unconfirmed.
Lisette M. (@lisettem26) — Campaign post — Small lifestyle creator; her surname and a narrower niche remain unverified.
Lucas Labrador (@lucaslabradordancer) — Campaign post — Professional ballet dancer, dance entrepreneur and founder of Ballet World Connected.
Marcelli Rodrigues (@canalmarcellirodrigues) — Campaign post — Personal trainer and beauty, fitness and lifestyle creator.
Mariza Dávila-Madwid (@sra.davilamadwid) — Campaign post — Connecticut high-school Spanish teacher and teacher/lifestyle creator.
Melany Cortázar (@melanycmakeup) — Campaign post — Professional makeup artist, beauty creator and makeup-academy founder.
Meliza Vasquez (@melizavasquezz) — Campaign post — Houston photographer and lifestyle/fitness creator.
Miss Karenni / Karen Asencio Viera (@asencioviera) — Campaign post — Fashion-and-lifestyle creator.
Noelia Alonso Duque (@wendynoe) — Campaign post — Model and user-generated-content creator.
Nubia Figueroa (@nubiafiguerooa) — Campaign post — Beauty, fashion and skincare creator and photographer.
Omar Genao (@omargenao) — Campaign post — E-commerce developer, designer and digital-marketing consultant.
Paola V. Desideri (@paolavdesideri) — Campaign post — Fashion, beauty and family/lifestyle creator.
Parth Patel (@_parthenaan) — Campaign post — Engineer and men’s-style, lifestyle and travel creator.
Perla Aguilar (@iamperlita) — Campaign post — Fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogger.
Ren (@grunge.granny) — Campaign post — Maker, small-business owner and creativity/lifestyle creator.
Stephanie Bradford (@stephbradfordtv) — Campaign post — Four-time Emmy-winning bilingual journalist and voice-over artist.
Stephanie Guerra (@puropinchesa) — Campaign post — Founder of Puro Pinche and a San Antonio culture, events and entertainment creator.
Thayna Beddes (@thaynabeddes) — Campaign post — Instagram creator; no narrower professional niche was reliably corroborated.
Thida (@vibeinstyle) — Campaign post — Boston-area travel-and-lifestyle blogger.
V de Veronik / Camila Verônica Souza Freire (@vdeveronik) — Campaign post — Medical-research and academic-skills creator and founder of PowerPoint Academy.
Vanessa Calderón (@nessacalder) — Campaign post — Actress, writer and filmmaker.
Will Jardell (@williamjardell) — Campaign post — Amazing Race winner, model/dance instructor and MPH-trained public-health professional.
Wilmarie Hernández (@wilmarielifeisnow) — Campaign post — Life/career coach and travel creator.
How I found the names
The campaign’s paper supplied the number—496 paid influencers—but not the roster. I started with El Beacon’s own Year-One Instagram footprint and worked outward from every surviving post.
I recovered 109 captions from creator originals, collaboration posts, official El Beacon reposts and archived copies. I then followed each credited handle back to the creator and matched the person to public biographies, professional profiles, interviews or contemporary coverage.
I counted an account only when the public record showed an advertising connection to El Beacon. The resulting 57 include:
21 creator-owned posts carrying Instagram’s native paid-partnership label;
three creator-owned El Beacon collaborations carrying
#ad;31 official El Beacon reposts identifying the creator and preserving
#ad;one campaign advertisement preserved in an influencer index; and
one Facebook/Instagram advertisement independently preserved and verified by AFP.
This is not the complete roster. The campaign reports 1,000 influencer posts—including 524 Instagram feed posts and 468 Instagram stories—so hundreds of posts and most of the names remain unrecovered. The full list was managed through the GRIN influencer platform and has not been released publicly.
Ms Winters putting out more useful articles than the NYT! Well done 👏🏽
The receipts are damning because the targets were intimate: children, babies, mothers, pregnancy, breastfeeding, family loyalty, and fear. The campaign pushed “vaccinate your children,” a vaccinated six-year-old, infant-hospitalization appeals, gift-card testimonial contests, and even “completely safe” vaccine language while sponsorship disclosures hid the federal source of the money. The administrative state did not merely issue guidance. It laundered authority through influencers, monitored dissent, updated talking points, and called the whole thing anti-misinformation work. The result was a counterfeit grassroots campaign with government fingerprints underneath the paint.