Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38250632›Full record

ArticleTobacco induced diseases2024

E-cigarettes on Instagram: Exploring vape content via an Australian vaping influencer.

Jonine Jancey, Renee N Carey, Becky Freeman, Tama Leaver, Katharina Wolf, Marilyn Bromberg, Kevin Chai, Stella Bialous, Phoebe Adams, Meghan Mcleod and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Tobacco induced diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
10.5field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Paid Social Media Advertising on Vaping in Australia: A Descriptive Study Using Meta Ad Library.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2025
    Article
  3. Who Reports Greater Chronic Disease Risk Behaviours? A Closer Look at Sociodemographic Differences Among Australian Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. The school community's role in addressing vaping: Findings from qualitative research to inform pedagogy, practice and policy.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Smoke Returns in Disguise.Open respiratory archives
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Jonine JanceyCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia.
Renee N CareySchool of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia.
Becky FreemanSchool of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Tama LeaverInternet Studies, School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia.
Katharina WolfSchool of Management and Marketing, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia.
Marilyn BrombergLaw School, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia.
Kevin ChaiSchool of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia.
Stella BialousSchool of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
Phoebe AdamsCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia.
Meghan McleodCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia.
Kahlia McCauslandCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia.
Curtin University · AUThe University of Sydney · AUThe University of Western Australia · AUUniversity of California, San Francisco · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMounting evidence suggests that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are extensively promoted and marketed using social media, including through user-generated content and social media influencers. This study explores how e-cigarettes are being promoted on Instagram, using a case-study approach, and the extent to which Meta's Restricted Goods and Services Policy (Meta's policy) is being applied and enforced.

methodsWe identified the accounts followed by an Australian Instagram influencer who primarily posts e-cigarette-related content. The main foci of these 855 accounts were coded and 369 vaping-focused accounts were identified. These vaping-focused accounts were then further coded by two trained coders.

resultsAll (n=369; 100.0%) of the vape content posted by these accounts was positive in sentiment. One-third of the vape accounts (n=127; 34.4%) had a shared focus, indicating that vape content may permeate into other online communities through shared interests. A total of 64 accounts (17.3%) potentially violated Meta's policy by attempting to purchase, sell, raffle or gift e-cigarette products.

conclusionsThe findings of this study suggest that pro-vaping information is available and accessible on Instagram. Much of the content identified in this study promoted the purchase or gifting of e-cigarette products and potentially violates Meta's policy. Greater regulation and/or stronger enforcement of e-cigarette content on social media platforms such as Instagram is necessary to prevent the ongoing promotion of these harmful products.

Indexed as

e-cigarettesInstagrampublic healthsocial mediavaping

Identifiers

PMID38250632
PMCPMC10798224
OpenAlexW4391023278

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.