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TikTok Launches 'Footnotes' to Enhance Video Context in U.S. Testing

The new feature allows eligible users to add community-vetted context to videos, complementing existing fact-checking measures.

TikTok application's icon on a phone screen.
The TikTok logo is seen on a screen over Times Square in New York City, U.S., March 6, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/ File Photo
TikTok is getting its version of X's community notes.
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Overview

  • TikTok's 'Footnotes' feature enables users to provide additional context to videos through a crowdsourced, consensus-driven system.
  • The feature is currently being tested in the United States, with contributors required to meet eligibility criteria such as age, account history, and compliance with community guidelines.
  • Footnotes will use a bridge-based ranking system to ensure only community-vetted, 'helpful' notes are visible to users.
  • Unlike Meta's recent shift to community moderation, TikTok will retain its partnerships with professional fact-checkers to address more critical misinformation.
  • The launch comes as TikTok faces ongoing regulatory uncertainty in the U.S., with its Chinese ownership under scrutiny and potential divestiture mandates still unresolved.