7. Scandal in the Age of Sexting

This chapter examines how sex scandal narratives have shifted as public storytelling has become less driven by centralized media organizations. How are scandal stories told when the very thing that makes them scandalous—the making-public of private, previously hidden non-normative behaviors—is an increasingly common feature of everyday life? The author examines the evolution of sexting scandals, which first emerged in news coverage back in 2009. He focuses on two events in particular—scandals belonging to NFL quarterback Brett Favre in 2010 and New York Congressman Anthony Weiner in 2011—where sexting itself generated the sensational media frenzy. While sexting technology may be new(ish), Gamson argues that the media narratives proceeded according to existing scandal scripts.