delegitimizing-label Emerged 2022
Narrative framing LGBTQ+ advocacy, particularly around transgender issues and education, as predatory behavior targeting children
Core Framing: LGBTQ+ advocates and educators are sexually grooming children under the guise of inclusion and education
Key Terms: groomergroomingprotecting childrenparental rights +1 more
Targets: teachers, LGBTQ+ advocates, school boards +2 more
Primary Platforms: Twitter, Facebook, TikTok +2 more
rhetorical-frame Emerged 2021
Frame that governments, NGOs, and platforms collude to suppress dissenting speech online under the banner of safety.
Core Framing: Portrays content moderation as coordinated censorship between government agencies, advocacy organizations, and social media platforms to silence political opposition and dissenting views
Key Terms: censorship-industrial-complexgovernment-pressurecontent-moderationdeplatforming +2 more
Targets: biden-administration, facebook-meta, twitter-x +1 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, facebook, youtube +1 more
partisan-storyline Emerged 2020-11
Narrative framing the 2020 presidential election as fraudulent and stolen, delegitimizing the democratic outcome
Core Framing: Systematic fraud, vote manipulation, and institutional corruption allegedly robbed the rightful winner of victory
Key Terms: Stop the Stealelection fraudballot harvestingDominion voting machines +2 more
Targets: Joe Biden, Democratic Party, election officials +2 more
Primary Platforms: Twitter, Facebook, Truth Social +3 more
partisan-storyline Emerged 2020
Claims that K-12 curricula are infused with critical race theory and that schools are indoctrinating children with anti-white racism.
Core Framing: Public education has been captured by radical ideologues who are teaching children to hate America and view race as the primary lens for understanding society, replacing traditional civic education with divisive racial ideology.
Key Terms: critical race theoryCRTanti-white racismindoctrination +3 more
Targets: public-schools, teachers-unions, school-boards +1 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, facebook, fox-news +2 more
conspiracy-theory Emerged 2020
Narrative that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory accident, often paired with claims of government cover-up and geopolitical blame.
Core Framing: Frames COVID-19 pandemic origins as laboratory accident rather than natural spillover, often incorporating elements of government suppression and institutional distrust
Key Terms: lab-leakwuhan-labgain-of-functioncovid-origins +2 more
Targets: anthony-fauci, joe-biden, facebook-meta +3 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, facebook, youtube +2 more
conspiracy-theory Emerged 2020
Conspiracy theory claiming that COVID-19 pandemic was deliberately planned by elites to consolidate power, control populations, or advance political agendas
Core Framing: COVID-19 pandemic was engineered or exploited by powerful elites for control, profit, or political advantage rather than being a natural health crisis
Key Terms: plandemicplanDEMic#plandemicscamdemic +3 more
Targets: Dr. Anthony Fauci, CDC, WHO +4 more
Primary Platforms: facebook, twitter-x, youtube +5 more
rhetorical-frame Emerged 2020
Frame that progressive cultural change is a coordinated ideological contagion undermining institutions and norms
Core Framing: Progressive social justice ideas spread like a virus through institutions, threatening civilization and traditional values
Key Terms: woke mind virusmind virusextinctionistanti-meritocratic +2 more
Targets: progressive-activists, social-justice-movements, liberal-institutions +2 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, joe-rogan-podcast, conservative-media +2 more
rhetorical-frame Emerged 2019
Framing climate change as an immediate existential threat requiring rapid, exceptional policy responses and emergency mobilization
Core Framing: Climate change demands immediate emergency action comparable to wartime mobilization, requiring suspension of normal political processes
Key Terms: climate emergencyclimate crisisGreen New Dealclimate mobilization +2 more
Targets: fossil-fuel-industry, climate-deniers, moderate-politicians +1 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, instagram, tiktok +3 more
rhetorical-frame Emerged 2018
Claim that social media platforms secretly suppress certain voices and content without notification, used to explain reduced engagement
Core Framing: Big Tech secretly censors conservative voices through algorithmic manipulation while denying it publicly
Key Terms: shadow banalgorithmic suppressionstealth censorshipengagement throttling +1 more
Targets: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube +2 more
Primary Platforms: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube +2 more
rhetorical-frame Emerged 2017
Movement frame that Immigration and Customs Enforcement functions abusively and should be dismantled or radically reformed.
Core Framing: Frames ICE as an inherently abusive federal agency that separates families, targets vulnerable communities, and operates beyond constitutional constraints
Key Terms: abolish-iceice-raidsfamily-separationno-justice-no-ice +1 more
Targets: ice, homeland-security, border-patrol
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, instagram, facebook +1 more
delegitimizing-label Emerged 2017
Narrative that frames loosely organized anti-fascist activists as a coordinated domestic terror threat requiring government intervention.
Core Framing: Transforms decentralized anti-fascist resistance into organized terrorist conspiracy
Key Terms: antifadomestic terrorismradical left disasterantifa militants +1 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, truth-social, fox-news +2 more
delegitimizing-label Emerged 2017
Portrayal of mainstream media as partisan actors deceiving the public and attacking political opponents.
Core Framing: Frames mainstream news organizations as deliberately deceptive enemies working against the American people rather than serving the public interest
Key Terms: enemy of the peoplefake news mediacorrupt mediadishonest press +1 more
Targets: cnn, new-york-times, washington-post +2 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, truth-social, conservative-talk-radio +2 more
conspiracy-theory Emerged 2017
Narrative framing demographic change as an intentional elite plot to replace white Americans and undermine their political power
Core Framing: Elites deliberately import non-white immigrants to dilute white voting power and destroy Western civilization
Key Terms: Great Replacementwhite genocidedemographic replacementinvasion +1 more
Targets: immigrants, Democratic politicians, Jewish elites +2 more
Primary Platforms: 4chan, 8chan, Twitter +3 more
conspiracy-theory Emerged 2017
Counter-narrative claiming investigations of Trump–Russia ties were fabricated by political enemies and media collaborators to undermine presidency
Core Framing: Intelligence agencies and Democrats conspired to create false allegations about Russian election interference and Trump campaign coordination
Key Terms: Russia Hoaxwitch huntcoup attemptRussia Russia Russia +1 more
Targets: FBI, DOJ, Mueller investigation +2 more
Primary Platforms: Twitter, Truth Social, Fox News +2 more
conspiracy-theory Emerged 2016
Narrative claiming unelected bureaucrats and intelligence officials secretly control government and undermine elected leaders
Core Framing: Shadow network of career government officials work to subvert the will of voters and maintain their own power
Key Terms: Deep Stateadministrative stateswampunelected bureaucrats +1 more
Targets: FBI, CIA, DOJ +2 more
Primary Platforms: Twitter, Fox News, Breitbart +2 more
delegitimizing-label Emerged 2016
Label used to delegitimize mainstream media coverage and any unfavorable reporting by claiming it is deliberately false
Core Framing: Mainstream media deliberately fabricates stories and spreads misinformation to advance political agendas
Key Terms: fake newsfailingdishonest mediaenemy of the people +1 more
Targets: CNN, New York Times, Washington Post +2 more
Primary Platforms: Twitter, Truth Social, Fox News +2 more
delegitimizing-label Emerged 2016
Rhetorical label portraying critics of Trump as mentally unhinged and irrationally obsessed, delegitimizing opposition
Core Framing: Trump critics suffer from psychological condition that prevents rational evaluation of his presidency
Key Terms: TDSTrump Derangement SyndromederangedTrump obsessed +1 more
Targets: Democrats, mainstream media, Never Trump Republicans +2 more
Primary Platforms: Twitter, Fox News, conservative talk radio +2 more
rhetorical-frame Emerged 2015
Framing of immigration as an organized incursion overwhelming sovereignty and security at the southern border
Core Framing: Immigration portrayed as military-style invasion threatening national sovereignty, security, and cultural integrity
Key Terms: invasionborder invasionmigrant invasioncaravan invasion +2 more
Targets: undocumented-immigrants, asylum-seekers, border-crossers +1 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, facebook, fox-news +3 more
conspiracy-theory Emerged 2012
Conspiracy theory claiming victims and witnesses of mass tragedies are paid performers staging events to advance political agendas.
Core Framing: Frames genuine victims of tragedies as deceptive actors participating in government or political operations designed to manipulate public opinion and policy.
Key Terms: crisis actorfalse flaghoaxpaid actors +2 more
Targets: sandy-hook-families, parkland-survivors, alex-jones
Primary Platforms: facebook, youtube, twitter-x +3 more
partisan-storyline Emerged 2011
Progressive narrative framing concentrated wealth as threat to democracy requiring redistribution via progressive taxation and targeting billionaire class.
Core Framing: Wealth concentration corrupts democratic institutions and policy must redistribute resources from billionaire oligarchs to working class
Key Terms: tax-the-rich#TaxTheRicheat-the-richoligarchy +3 more
Targets: elon-musk, jeff-bezos, billionaire-class
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, instagram, tiktok +1 more
rhetorical-frame Emerged 2010
Rhetorical frame claiming that political opponents favor effectively unrestricted immigration and deliberately weak border enforcement
Core Framing: Democrats and immigration advocates secretly want unlimited immigration to transform American demographics and voting patterns
Key Terms: open bordersborder crisisinvasionillegal immigrants +2 more
Targets: joe-biden, barack-obama, democratic-party +1 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, facebook, fox-news +2 more
rhetorical-frame Emerged 2000
Frame that restrictive voting laws and administrative practices systemically disenfranchise targeted groups for political gain.
Core Framing: Presents voting policy changes as intentional efforts to prevent specific demographic groups from voting rather than legitimate election security measures
Key Terms: voter-suppressiondisenfranchisementvoting-rightspoll-tax +2 more
Targets: republican-party, heritage-foundation, alec +1 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, facebook, instagram +2 more
conspiracy-theory Emerged 1990
Convergence narrative alleging a transnational elite coordinated through institutions like the World Economic Forum orchestrates global policy and undermines national sovereignty.
Core Framing: Frames global governance initiatives, international cooperation, and economic policies as coordinated plots by a shadowy elite to establish authoritarian world government
Key Terms: new-world-orderglobalist-elitegreat-resetagenda-2030 +2 more
Targets: world-economic-forum, klaus-schwab, united-nations +2 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, facebook, tiktok +3 more
rhetorical-frame Emerged 1968
Frames social unrest as stemming from lenient policies and elevates policing, punishment, and anti-protest measures as primary remedies.
Core Framing: Structures interpretation of civil disorder through binary of chaos versus control, portraying strict law enforcement as essential for social stability
Key Terms: law-and-orderLAW & ORDERback-the-bluetough-on-crime +2 more
Targets: black-lives-matter, antifa, progressive-prosecutors +1 more
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, facebook, conservative-talk-radio +2 more
rhetorical-frame Emerged 1960s
Narrative asserting that racial inequality is embedded in institutions, shaping outcomes across society and policy.
Core Framing: Frames racial disparities as products of institutional structures rather than individual choices or cultural factors
Key Terms: systemic-racisminstitutional-racismstructural-racism#SystemicRacism +2 more
Targets: conservative-politicians, law-enforcement, criminal-justice-system
Primary Platforms: twitter-x, facebook, instagram +2 more
partisan-storyline Emerged 2000s
Recurring narrative that secular or progressive forces are systematically erasing Christian traditions from public life during the holiday season.
Core Framing: Frames routine secularization of public holiday displays and greetings as deliberate attacks on Christian faith and American traditions
Key Terms: war on christmasmerry christmashappy holidaysholiday tree +2 more
Targets: retailers, schools, government-agencies +1 more
Primary Platforms: fox-news, conservative-talk-radio, facebook +2 more