TikTok follows X with its own community notes feature

Starting today, US TikTok users can easily add Footnotes for greater video transparency.

Illustration: TechBird

In a move towards greater digital transparency and user-driven content moderation, TikTok is rolling out its own version of the popular "community notes" feature. This new initiative empowers the platform's vast user base to contribute valuable context and perspective to the content they encounter, much like the system pioneered by X (formerly Twitter).

This feature, currently being introduced to users in the United States, allows individuals to add their informed opinions and credible information directly to specific videos. TikTok has internally dubbed these user-generated insights "Footnotes," a name that subtly suggests their placement—likely appearing at the end of videos, mirroring the functionality of Community Notes on the X platform.

This new feature appears to be a response to the uncertain regulatory landscape surrounding TikTok in the US, even after the second delay of the potential ban by the Trump administration. This isn't mere speculation; the announcement blog overwhelmingly emphasizes United States users.

"TikTok gives over 170 million Americans the freedom to express themselves and share, resulting in an immensity of content to discover and learn from," TikTok highlighted in their announcement. They further elaborated on the rationale behind the feature: "Whether the content discusses a complex STEM-related concept, shares statistics that could misrepresent a topic, or updates about an ongoing event, there may be additional context that could help others better understand it. That's why we're building Footnotes."

Image of TikTok's "Become a Footnotes contributor" screen, inviting users to write and rate community notes. Image: TikTok

In the interest of transparency and ensuring the credibility of contributors, TikTok has outlined an application process for US users wishing to become "Footnotes" contributors. Eligibility criteria include having an account that is at least six months old, a clean record of community guideline violations, and being at least 18 years of age.

The company has indicated a phased rollout for contributor access, stating, "We'll open access to start contributing footnotes over the coming months. Once admitted, contributors can add footnotes to videos and rate those left by others."

This move by TikTok to integrate a community-driven fact-checking and contextualization system signifies a growing trend among social media platforms to address the challenges of misinformation and the need for greater transparency in online content. By empowering its users to contribute their knowledge, TikTok aims to create a more informed and reliable experience for its massive audience.