Purpose

In this article, we propose a novel methodological approach to understanding the informational texture of climate obstruction and related issues by weaving together scattered but entangled data fragments.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a methodological allegory about skipping stones in a lake and noticing the resulting ripples, we draw on the literature on climate change denial online and previous methodological approaches to explore and analyse fragmented digital phenomena. We implement this proposed methodological approach by focusing on the effects of a stone hitting a lake of climate obstruction. This is done through a series of skips, including analyses of search engine results pages, hyperlink networks, podcast show notes and large language models' responses.

Findings

The methodology proposed and adopted allows for a simultaneous qualitative and quantitative approach to the interpretative analysis of content that is similar in meaning but takes a variety of modes and forms. We show how opposition to climate change mitigation fluctuates in the informational texture and thrives in the context of a recent controversial pseudo-documentary film. We also point towards further possible applications of the methodological approach in question.

Originality/value

Skipping stones and noticing the ripples extends present approaches to studying informational textures through interconnected data fragments representing the same phenomena across a multitude of information systems and platforms.