Platformization of science communication in short videos: A comparative study of TikTok and YouTube Shorts

Short-video platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts have become increasingly relevant for science communication, requiring communicators to align with technical infrastructures and platform logics. Drawing on the concept of platform affordances, this study examines platformization patterns in 1,055 German science-related short videos across four dimensions: algorithmic curation, hypertextuality, interactivity, and multimodality. Using computational methods, it also compares communicators and analyzes engagement relationships. Findings show selective adaptation, with the strongest adoption in multimodal design. However, platform constraints create tensions with science communication principles of contextualization and transparency. Individual communicators exhibit stronger platformization than institutional actors, yet platformization does not meaningfully relate to engagement. The results further reveal convergence and divergence between platforms, with YouTube Shorts gradually aligning with TikTok while retaining distinctive features. Methodologically, the study integrates conceptual perspectives with computational methods, providing a framework for analyzing platformization dynamics in science communication and across platforms.