TikTok Tests Footnotes to Fight Misinformation

TikTok has started testing a new feature called 'Footnotes' in the US, allowing approved users to add contextual notes to videos in a crowd-sourced effort to combat misinformation, similar to X's Community Notes. TikTok will retain partnerships with over 20 accredited fact-checking organizations while supplementing their efforts with the new feature. Contributors must be at least 18 years old, have had an account for more than six months, and have no recent community guideline violations, with notes becoming visible only if rated 'helpful' by a consensus-driven algorithm. The consensus system is designed to ensure diverse agreement and enhance information quality. The rollout comes as TikTok faces a US government deadline to divest its US operations over national security concerns. Footnotes is part of TikTok’s broader initiative to improve content reliability and respond to misinformation without removing professional moderation.