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Climate obstruction and Facebook advertising: how a sample of climate obstruction organizations use social media to disseminate discourses of delay

Author

Listed:
  • Faye Holder

    (InfluenceMap)

  • Sanober Mirza

    (InfluenceMap)

  • Namson-Ngo-Lee

    (InfluenceMap)

  • Jake Carbone

    (InfluenceMap)

  • Ruth E. McKie

    (De Montfort University)

Abstract

In this article, we present the results of a content analysis of a sample of fossil fuel corporations, industry associations, and advocacy groups’ ads using Facebook ad services during the election year from January 2020 to January 2021. Creating a messaging typology, we analyzed 30,100 ads on Facebook and found that different organizations used these messages to reinforce pre-existing beliefs on the importance of fossil fuels. In doing so, these organizations can use Facebook to reassert their interests in the public voice and support standards of behavior that rely on fossil fuels, protecting their industries. Additionally, we found differences between the types of messaging and ads targeted to particular users by age, gender, and state. These ads represent the evolving misinformation playbook from climate obstruction organizations that require further attention and consideration, particularly via social media platforms that may have limited or unclear regulations.

Suggested Citation

  • Faye Holder & Sanober Mirza & Namson-Ngo-Lee & Jake Carbone & Ruth E. McKie, 2023. "Climate obstruction and Facebook advertising: how a sample of climate obstruction organizations use social media to disseminate discourses of delay," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(2), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:176:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s10584-023-03494-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-023-03494-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tvinnereim, Endre & Ivarsflaten, Elisabeth, 2016. "Fossil fuels, employment, and support for climate policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 364-371.
    2. Joshua A. Basseches & Rebecca Bromley-Trujillo & Maxwell T. Boykoff & Trevor Culhane & Galen Hall & Noel Healy & David J. Hess & David Hsu & Rachel M. Krause & Harland Prechel & J. Timmons Roberts & J, 2022. "Climate policy conflict in the U.S. states: a critical review and way forward," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 170(3), pages 1-24, February.
    3. Robert J. Brulle & Galen Hall & Loredana Loy & Kennedy Schell-Smith, 2021. "Obstructing action: foundation funding and US climate change counter-movement organizations," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 1-7, May.
    4. Mei Li & Gregory Trencher & Jusen Asuka, 2022. "The clean energy claims of BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell: A mismatch between discourse, actions and investments," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(2), pages 1-27, February.
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    6. Srdan Medimorec & Gordon Pennycook, 2015. "The language of denial: text analysis reveals differences in language use between climate change proponents and skeptics," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 133(4), pages 597-605, December.
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    2. Andrés Navarro & Francisco J. Tapiador, 2023. "Twitch as a privileged locus to analyze young people’s attitudes in the climate change debate: a quantitative analysis," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.

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