Beyond Individualized Responsibility Attributions? How Eco Influencers Communicate Sustainability on TikTok

ABSTRACT Sustainability communication is of increasing importance. While sustainability communication in traditional media has already been well researched, more research is needed about social media platforms in this regard. By focusing on sustainability communication on TikTok, this study makes an important contribution to the literature. More specifically, we investigate how eco influencers communicate sustainability on TikTok. Findings from content analysis (n = 242) reveal that eco influencers cover a wide range of different topics. Individual responsibility attributions are dominant in short videos posted on the platform. Videos presenting broader perspectives are more likely to refer to empirical evidence. Implications for science and environmental communicators are discussed.