You’re used to brands trying to reach you through social media influencers, but soon you may start seeing colleges doing the same. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced schools to get creative to keep people on campus safe, and several of them—including the University of Missouri and the University of Maryland—have started paying certain students to post virus information and upbeat reminders about social distancing on their personal accounts. Although some young people say these efforts are a waste of money, colleges will likely continue using campus influencers even when the pandemic is over, experts say. “[Students are] not going to necessarily listen to a speech by an administrator or watch a video by an administrator,” says Christian Basi, the director of media relations at the University of Missouri, “but they will listen to their friends . . . and they will certainly watch them on social media.”