Background: The growing influence of social media has transformed celebrities from merely cultural and entertainment figures into influential actors in processes of meaning construction, public opinion formation, and digital influence. In contemporary conflicts, cognitive warfare increasingly relies on narrative competition, emotional mobilization, and the shaping of collective perceptions rather than direct physical confrontation. Female celebrities, due to their symbolic capital, extensive digital audiences, and emotional connection with followers, may play a significant role in representing, reinforcing, or contesting cognitive warfare narratives.
Aims: This study aims to explore the role of female celebrities in representing and shaping cognitive warfare narratives on social media by applying Framing Theory as a theoretical lens.
Methodology: This study employed a qualitative research design using a netnographic approach. The research focused on selected female celebrities with high visibility and engagement on social media platforms, particularly Instagram. A purposive sampling strategy was used to identify 8 female celebrities based on criteria including digital influence, active presence, and relevance of their online activities to social, cultural, political, or crisis-related issues. Data were collected through systematic analysis of social media posts, captions, visual content, hashtags, and audience interactions. The collected data were analyzed through thematic analysis, guided by Framing Theory. To enhance the credibility of findings, data triangulation, expert review, peer debriefing, and transparent documentation of the analytical process were employed.
Findings: The findings revealed three major dimensions of cognitive framing by female celebrities. First, they construct crisis and conflict realities through narrative framing, including problem definition, identity construction, and selective emphasis of events. Second, they employ emotional and value-based framing strategies by generating empathy, mobilizing emotions, and embedding moral and ideological meanings within digital narratives. Third, audience interactions contribute to the reproduction, transformation, or contestation of these narratives through sharing, reinterpretation, and the creation of counter-narratives.
Conclusion: Overall, the study demonstrates that female celebrities function as important actors in contemporary digital influence environments, where cognitive warfare is shaped through the interaction of symbolic communication, emotional engagement, and networked audience participation.