Framing Fracking: An Examination of the Public Framing of Fracking in Social Media

• In Event: Media, Social Media, and Environmental Action

Abstract

The recent increase in global discussion of the risk and benefits of fracking for natural gas and
oil merits an examination of how the public understands the issue. This study looks at public discussion of fracking on Twitter by coding all tweets between July 2009, when the word fracking first appeared on Twitter, and September 2014. Using a computer-aided content analysis platform, the authors coded more than 5 million tweets that discuss fracking. The results show how public framing of fracking has evolved over time, including the frames people use to discuss fracking and the number of tweets and individuals who are participating in discussions of fracking.

Authors

• Ariel A Hasell, UC-Santa Barbara

• Heather Hodges, U of California - Santa Barbara