The Uproar Over Gene-Edited Babies: A Semantic Network Analysis of CRISPR on Twitter

CRISPR-Cas9, a recent gene editing technology, has potential to greatly impact medicine, agriculture, and the environment; therefore, it is increasingly important to understand the public's perceptions surrounding this technology. This study examined the main themes of CRISPR during a nine-month period on Twitter through semantic network analysis. Three additional networks (before, initial, and after-event stages) were created to understand the effects of the "CRISPR babies" news event. Four themes emerged in the overall network: (1) research/applications of CRISPR, (2) the "CRISPR babies" event, (3) agricultural regulations for biotechnology, and (4) advancements in muscular dystrophy research. The "CRISPR babies" news story dominated the initial and after-event stage network clusters, indicating major events may impact how users discuss socio-scientific issues in online media. The sentiment surrounding CRISPR was mixed, demonstrating concerns over this technology. This study reveals the potential of social media as a tool to understand public discussions around new technologies.