LOADED WORDS
“rioters” — what this word changes.
Outlets that pick "rioters" frame the event as criminal violence. Outlets that pick "protesters" frame the same event as legitimate civic action.
“rioters” makes the story feel like
a violent mob, criminal, lawless.
The contrast: “protesters”
The other side's framing of the same event: civic, lawful, citizens exercising rights.
See the “protesters” page →Live headlines using “rioters”
No live headlines using “rioters” right now. Optics scans 380+ feeds every 5 minutes — check back as new stories appear.
How Optics uses these words
Optics doesn't decide which framing is “right.” It surfaces them so a reader can see, in one glance, that the same event is being labeled completely differently depending on which outlet picked the verb. See the full loaded-word catalog or read the methodology.