TikTok is introducing a new feature called “Footnotes,” a community-driven moderation tool that enables contributors to add context and information to content on the platform, enhancing the user experience.
To become a Footnotes contributor, US users must meet specific eligibility criteria, including having been active on TikTok for over six months, being at least 18 years old, and having a clean record regarding community guidelines in the previous six months. Users who meet these requirements can apply to become contributors starting immediately, and TikTok will also proactively notify eligible users.
The Footnotes system operates on a “bridge-based ranking system” that identifies notes that are agreed upon by individuals with differing viewpoints. Contributors assess the helpfulness of footnotes by voting, and only those that reach a certain threshold become visible to the wider community. As more footnotes are written and rated across various topics, the system is designed to become increasingly effective and intelligent.
TikTok plans to initially pilot the Footnotes feature in the US for short-form videos, with plans to expand access to contributors over the coming months. This development is part of a broader trend among social media platforms to adopt community-driven moderation strategies, a concept that originated on Twitter in 2021 as Birdwatch and has since been adopted by other platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
TikTok asserts that the new Footnotes feature “augments our existing suite of platform integrity measures and features.” By empowering contributors to add relevant information to content, TikTok aims to create a more accurate and informative environment for its users.
