Open Access

Isaac Bravo, Daniel Silva Luna, Stefanie Walter

• This study uses a multimodal approach, combining visual content analysis and textual analysis of tweet content to explore the virality of climate imagery on Twitter. Employing a combination of methods, including content analysis, latent class analysis, and automated text and sentiment analysis, the research the visuals, user information and public engagement of climate change related tweets shared between 2019 and 2022. The findings reveal a diverse array of viral visual content characterized by various formats, subjects and settings, identifying five frames related to celebrities, protests, politics and the visualizations and effects of climate change. These frames differ in terms of public engagement and sentiment expressed in user comments. Despite the democratic potential of online discourses, the study finds parallels with traditional media, including the underrepresentation of marginalized groups and themes such as adaptation and mitigation strategies. A lack of diversity is alsoThis study uses a multimodal approach, combining visual content analysis and textual analysis of tweet content to explore the virality of climate imagery on Twitter. Employing a combination of methods, including content analysis, latent class analysis, and automated text and sentiment analysis, the research the visuals, user information and public engagement of climate change related tweets shared between 2019 and 2022. The findings reveal a diverse array of viral visual content characterized by various formats, subjects and settings, identifying five frames related to celebrities, protests, politics and the visualizations and effects of climate change. These frames differ in terms of public engagement and sentiment expressed in user comments. Despite the democratic potential of online discourses, the study finds parallels with traditional media, including the underrepresentation of marginalized groups and themes such as adaptation and mitigation strategies. A lack of diversity is also evident in the users shaping viral visual climate change discourses on Twitter. Despite the platform’s potential for diverse contributions, accounts from the US dominate, along with accounts by media and political entities with above-average followers.…