The plurality and shifting of framing genetical modification risks on Chinese social media

Anchored in framing theory and the public arenas model, this study investigates the representation and temporal evolution of genetic modification (GM) risk frames on Chinese social media. Through analysis of public discussions on GM risks from 2010 to 2020, and utilising an integration of unsupervised machine learning and computational grounded theory methodologies, this study develops a categorisation schema of 13 GM risk frames. These frames span the full lifecycle of risk social construction, from identification and definition through assessment, social negotiation, attribution, impact evaluation, to management and mitigation. The findings reveal that GM risk discourses are multifaceted, with systematic differences in frame adoption among social actors including government agencies, experts, media outlets, and the general public. The study demonstrates that GM risk frame evolution aligns closely with public attention cycles, exhibiting three distinct patterns: fluctuating decline, punctuated equilibrium, and fluctuating increase. Additionally, it is found that key events or crises catalyse both quantitative changes in frame prominence and qualitative transformations in how GM risks are framed.