Hero on Twitter, Traitor on News: How Social Media and Legacy News Frame Snowden

Abstract

Is Edward Snowden a hero or traitor? In what ways do frames on social media and legacy news differ in covering the incident of Edward Snowden? Utilizing the approach of semantic network analysis, the study found social media users associated Snowden’s case with other whistle-blowers, bipartisan issues, and personal privacy issues, while professional journalists associated the Snowden incident with issues of national security and international relations. Frames on social media portray Edward Snowden as a hero while the frames on legacy news make him a traitor. The study further identified media frames on social media and legacy news differ in two ways: word selection and word salience. In addition, the study discussed the challenges and opportunities of framing analysis in the context of social media.