Behind the screens: how algorithmic imaginaries shape science content on social media

Abstract

Based on an ethnography of the development and production of science YouTube videos — a collaboration between a German public broadcaster and social science scholars — we identify three intermediary steps through which recommendation algorithms shape science content on social media. We argue that algorithms induce changes to science content through the power they exert over the content’s visibility on social media platforms. Change is driven by how practitioners interpret algorithms, infer content strategies to enhance visibility, and adjust content creation practices accordingly. By unpacking these intermediate steps, we reveal the nuanced mechanisms by which algorithms indirectly shape science content.