TikTok Tests "Footnotes" Feature to Add Context to Videos.

TikTok has launched a new feature called Footnotes to help users better understand the videos they watch. The company is testing the feature in the United States.

With Footnotes, users can now add helpful information to videos. TikTok says this will give people more context, especially when content includes complex topics or current events.

TikTok Wants to Make Videos Easier to Understand

TikTok’s Head of Operations and Trust and Safety, Adam Presser, announced the feature in a press release. He explained that Footnotes uses community knowledge to make content clearer. “This feature helps our community better understand content on TikTok,” he said.

TikTok has over 170 million users in the U.S. Many videos on the platform include topics like science, statistics, or breaking news. These topics can sometimes confuse viewers. Footnotes will allow users to add facts that explain what’s going on.

This new tool joins other features that improve content accuracy. These include content labels, search banners, and a fact-checking program. TikTok hopes Footnotes will help people decide whether a video is trustworthy.

The company also said Footnotes will help fight misinformation. It will encourage users to add extra context to videos that need more explanation.

Users Can Apply to Be Footnote Contributors

TikTok Tests "Footnotes" Feature to Add Context to Videos. Users can Apply to be Contributors.Image credit: Technext

As of now, only U.S. users can apply to be contributors. To qualify, users must:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Have had a TikTok account for six months
  • Follow TikTok’s community rules

TikTok will invite eligible users to join. Once approved, they can add Footnotes to videos and rate notes written by others.

TikTok Uses a Voting System for Footnotes

TikTok will use a special system to decide which footnotes to show. If users with different views agree that a note is helpful, TikTok will display it. People can also vote on notes to show which ones are useful.

This process helps make the system fair and balanced. TikTok wants notes to be helpful, not just popular.

Footnotes Support TikTok’s Global Trust Efforts

TikTok says this feature is part of a bigger plan to build trust. The company already works with over 20 fact-checking groups in more than 130 countries.

Footnotes add to this effort by giving users a chance to share what they know. TikTok believes this will make conversations on the app better for everyone.

The timing of this new feature is important. The U.S. government recently passed a law asking TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app or face a ban.

Even with that pressure, TikTok continues building tools that improve trust. By allowing users to add context, TikTok hopes to stay valuable to American users.

Presser said TikTok will keep testing the tool and collecting feedback. “We’re excited to grow this feature with our users,” he added.

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