New research from InfluenceMap has found that there was a surge in social media advertising from the fossil fuel industry immediately after the Biden-Harris administration's decision to pause liquefied natural gas (LNG) export approvals in January, indicating that the decision triggered a concerted effort by the industry to influence public opinion.
Using data directly from the Meta Ad library, this new analysis plots the evolution of expenditure and LNG-related mentions since July 2023 and finds that major fossil fuel industry groups launched more than 100 ads after announcement of the LNG export pause.
It also finds that many of these ads appeared in key election states such as Pennsylvania, California, Texas, Florida, and New York, as well as in Washington, D.C.
Key findings:
Of the five major spenders identified, none were advertising specifically on LNG in the year leading up to the pause, and four of the five significantly increased their overall social media spending to account for their new campaigns.
These industry ads propagate various narratives around LNG's environmental benefits and geopolitical significance—claims that are shown to be misleading when compared to research by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other scientific bodies.
Much of the industry’s advertising on this issue promotes LNG as a climate solution, claiming that it displaces coal and reduces global emissions while insisting that opposition to LNG is unscientific and politically motivated. Additionally, many of the ads suggest that LNG ensures domestic and geopolitical security, arguing that the pause threatens domestic job security and strengthens adversaries abroad.
Mohammed Nasif, Analyst at InfluenceMap, said:
“The surge in online advertising following the LNG pause underscores how the fossil fuel industry is leveraging social media to spread misleading narratives on fossil gas. These ads, which promote false claims about LNG's environmental benefits, are distorting the public conversation and exemplifying the deceptive tactics that UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned in his call for advertisers to break ties with fossil fuel companies.”
For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Kitty Hatchley, Press Officer, InfluenceMap (London)
Email: kitty.hatchley {@} influencemap.org