We’ve Been Framed: a GM messaging guide
GM Freeze is delighted to share We’ve Been Framed – a resource to help you navigate the shark-infested waters of the GM debate by identifying where narratives and language are used to manipulate or mislead, and providing alternatives which more accurately reflect reality.
The biotech lobby has convinced politicians, the media and even some environmentalists that genetic engineering techniques developed in recent years are different and “clean” when in fact they share all the same risks as older GM technologies, are controlled by the same multinational corporations, and are designed to support industrial monocultures. At the same time, the movement for a responsible, fair and sustainable food system is not effectively making the case against newly rebranded GM and the risks posed.
With generous support from the Network for Social Change and in collaboration with a range of stakeholders, GM Freeze undertook a strategic analysis of how our perceptions of GM are shaped and what we can do to counter the bias embedded in the language we receive and use.
We’ve Been Framed disrupts the discussion, shifting it away from hollow promises, and technical arguments that few people understand, towards universal values such as fairness and choice. Narratives and language have been a key tool in making newer GM techniques seem more acceptable, so they also need to be part of our response.
Credits and collaborators
The We’ve Been Framed project was funded by the Network for Social Change, developed with input from the Public Interest Research Centre and delivered in collaboration with Framing Matters.
The project benefited from the input of committed, enthusiastic and very creative individuals from a range of organisations including Beyond GM, EcoNexus, Food Matters, Garden Organic, GM Watch, Organic Farmers & Growers and Soil Association. Thanks to all our collaborators.
