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Patterns of Type and Content in an Online Policy Controversy3322.1 IntroductionPublic debates about sustainability issues often become highly politicised and these debates increasingly shape policies for environmental and sustainability issues (Dodge & Metze, 2017; Hansen & Cox, 2015; Williams & Sovacool, 2019). Although almost everyone will support sustainable and environmentally friendly policies and attitudes (Lindahl et al., 2016); many issues, such as new energy technologies or siting issues have an impact on public perception, and may induce public and policy controversies (Boudet, 2019).Hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ for shale gas is a relatively new technology that generated a global controversy (Dodge & Metze, 2017; Hopke & Simis, 2017; Williams et al., 2017). The debate consisted of diverging interests and has a geopolitical dimension all discursively uttered in disagreements about shale gas exploration as an environmental risk and economic opportunity (Bomberg, 2017b; Bugden et al., 2017; Dodge & Lee, 2017; Lis & Stankiewicz, 2017; Valerio-Ureña & Rogers, 2019; Williams et al., 2017; Williams & Sovacool, 2020). Some studies highlight the debate’s visual aspects, as they influence how this controversy has evolved in different domains (Hendriks et al., 2017; Krause & Bucy, 2018; Metze, 2017; Sarge et al., 2015). Among these, the internet is a particular arena where the shale gas controversy evolved (Metze, 2018b).Online, different publics than in traditional media or in parliamentary debates engage around an issue (Rogers & Marres, 2000). They take stances, share information, and aim to gain attention for that information by use of visualisations. In addition, those internet actors often promote possible solutions. As such, the internet and social media platforms have become one of the main arenas where controversies are debated (Marres, 2015; Rogers, 2013). Understanding the internet as a field of governance, we acknowledge it as a space for public and networked production, circulation and exchange of information, that is ultimately shaping behaviours, decisions and alignments (Castells, 2008; Mol, 2006). The internet is no longer merely a space, a medium and a source; rather, it has become an influential actor. Websites and digital platforms – such as Twitter, Facebook, Google, Wikipedia, etc. – are non-human actors with affordances, content, and dynamics of circulation of information. They are fundamental to understanding social practices and decision-making dynamics (Rabello & Gouveia, 2019; Rogers, Efrat.indd 33 19-09-2023 09:47