ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Commun.
Sec. Visual Communication
Volume 10 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcomm.2025.1649275
Visual Framing of Vaping: How Instagram Influencers Shape Perceptions of Vaping Through Images
Provisionally accepted
- 1UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- 2Folkehelseinstituttet, Oslo, Norway
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The increasing popularity of vaping among teenagers and young adults has raised public health concerns, with social media influencers playing a key role in shaping perceptions. This study examines how Instagram influencers use visual framing to construct and disseminate messages about vaping. A qualitative semiotic analysis of 45 Instagram posts from seven international influencers was conducted, with ten posts selected for in-depth analysis. Visual elements were described, coded and categorized into sign categories and explored using NVivo software. AI tools supported influencer identification and category validation. Ethical approval was obtained to conduct the study in the public interest without requiring influencer consent. We identified three dominant themes in the Instagram posts: Freedom of Choice, Lifestyle, and Superpower. The Freedom frame emphasized personal choice and resistance to vape regulations, often contrasting vaping with smoking. The Lifestyle frame glamorized vaping by associating it with luxury, trendiness, and masculinity, integrating it into aspirational narratives. The Superpower frame appealed to younger audiences through playful imagery, such as references to manga and gaming, normalizing vaping as a symbol of creativity and empowerment. Visuals and hashtags reinforced these frames, fostering community and engagement. The findings highlight how influencers use culturally resonant visual frames to glamorize vaping and challenge public health narratives. Freedom of Choice framing redefined vaping as a fight for autonomy, while Lifestyle and Superpower frames linked vaping to desirable identities and maturity. Warning labels, intended to deter use, may inadvertently reinforce rebellious and mature connotations. This study underscores the need for public health strategies to counteract the influence of social media content on youth vaping behaviors. Future research should explore audience interpretations and extend analysis to other platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
Keywords: E-cigarettes, vaping, framing, Health Communication, influencers, instagram, Semiotic analysis
Received: 18 Jun 2025; Accepted: 16 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Schøning, Rosenbaum, Sandanger, Wien and Lian. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Bente Schøning, bente.evjen.schoning@uit.no
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