The Gender Gap in Science Communication on TikTok and YouTube: How Platform Dynamics Shape the Visibility of Female Science Communicators

TL;DR

This study compares gender disparities in science communication on TikTok and YouTube, revealing TikTok's relatively more inclusive environment but highlighting persistent structural challenges on both platforms.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of gender-based visibility and audience response on TikTok and YouTube, highlighting platform-specific dynamics affecting female science communicators.

Findings

Men received more likes and views on YouTube.

Audience response was more balanced on TikTok.

Women's participation had different impacts on engagement across platforms.

Abstract

Social media platforms facilitate the dissemination of science and access to it. However, gender inequalities in the participation and visibility of communicators persist. This study examined the differences in reach and audience response between YouTube and TikTok from a gender perspective. To do so, the ten most influential science accounts on YouTube and TikTok were selected, with the sample divided equally between men and women, to conduct a comparative study. A total of 4293 videos on TikTok and 4825 on YouTube were analyzed, along with 277,528 comments, considering metrics of views and interaction. The results show that on YouTube, men received more likes and views, while on TikTok, audience response was more balanced. The participation of women on both platforms also had a differential impact, as the number of women engaging with content on YouTube negatively correlated with interaction levels, whereas on TikTok, their impact was slightly positive. In conclusion, TikTok emerges as a more inclusive space for scientific communication, though structural challenges remain on both platforms, encouraging further research into strategies that promote gender equity in online science communication.