On September 4, 2026, the administration of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took action to deactivate the disappearing‑message feature in a Signal chat that had been used for communication with social‑media influencers. City Hall staff had previously been instructed by the mayor’s chief lawyer to keep the feature disabled, and an internal check revealed that it was still active. The corrective step was implemented promptly to align the messaging platform with the established guidance.
The Signal group, which serves as a channel for the mayor’s office to coordinate with a network of influencers, had been operating with the self‑destruct setting turned on despite the earlier advisory. After the discovery, technical staff at City Hall reversed the setting, ensuring that future messages remain permanently archived in the chat history. The change was made without public comment from the mayor’s office, but the action was reported as part of routine compliance monitoring.
The decision comes as the mayor’s communications with influencers have attracted heightened scrutiny from both the public and oversight bodies. Critics have questioned the transparency of using private messaging apps for official outreach, and the presence of disappearing messages raised concerns about record‑keeping and accountability. By disabling the feature, the administration aims to demonstrate adherence to standard record‑preservation practices and to mitigate further questions about the nature of its outreach strategy.
City officials emphasized that the move reflects a broader effort to ensure that all official communication channels comply with existing policies. The mayor’s chief lawyer reiterated the importance of following the guidance on message retention, and staff were reminded to verify settings regularly. The adjustment to the Signal chat is one of several steps taken to address the ongoing examination of the mayor’s engagement with digital influencers.
The action underscores the administration’s response to the growing focus on how public officials use private platforms for official business, reinforcing a commitment to maintain accessible and auditable records of such interactions.