TikTok is stepping up its efforts to combat misinformation and improve content credibility with the launch of a new feature called “Footnotes.” Currently in its testing phase in the United States, Footnotes is designed to allow users to add additional context and relevant information to videos, helping others gain a clearer and more accurate understanding of the content they’re watching.
Much like the Community Notes feature on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Footnotes enables TikTok’s user base to collaboratively enhance the reliability of content through a consensus-driven system. The goal is to enrich discussions, empower users to share their expertise, and ultimately curb the spread of misleading information—especially on topics that are complex, controversial, or prone to misinterpretation.
How Footnotes Work
According to TikTok, the Footnotes system is built on a bridge-based ranking algorithm that encourages cooperation across different viewpoints. Here’s how it functions:
- Submission and Voting: Users can propose a footnote for any given video. These notes can include clarifications, corrections, background context, or references to credible sources.
- Diverse Agreement: The system looks for agreement between users with varying perspectives. This approach helps filter out biased or one-sided interpretations and aims to find notes that reflect broader consensus.
- Visibility Through Helpfulness: A footnote will only be made visible once it receives a certain number of “helpful” ratings from the initial pool of diverse reviewers. After that, the wider TikTok community can weigh in and vote on its usefulness as well.
This method ensures that only the most constructive and balanced contributions are shown publicly, reducing the likelihood of misinformation or unhelpful commentary.
What Sets Footnotes Apart
While TikTok already has several tools in place to promote trustworthy content—such as fact-checking partnerships, content labels, and comment moderation—Footnotes adds a new layer of community-powered credibility. Unlike traditional fact-checking methods, which rely solely on external organizations, Footnotes gives users the opportunity to contribute directly to the integrity of the platform.
TikTok emphasizes that Footnotes is not replacing its fact-checking program, but rather complementing it. This is a key distinction, especially compared to other platforms that are beginning to shift the burden of verification solely onto users. TikTok continues to collaborate with over 20 IFCN-accredited fact-checking organizations that evaluate content across 60+ languages in more than 130 markets globally.
Why It Matters
With over a billion users worldwide, TikTok has increasingly found itself under scrutiny for enabling the rapid spread of misinformation—particularly around sensitive subjects like public health, elections, and science. The addition of Footnotes signals the platform’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and community engagement.
TikTok believes that this new feature could be especially impactful in videos that:
- Present complex STEM concepts
- Contain potentially misleading statistics
- Provide ongoing updates on fast-changing current events
In these cases, Footnotes can offer essential context that might be missed in the video or misunderstood by viewers.
Who Can Contribute?
To ensure quality and integrity, TikTok has set eligibility criteria for those who wish to participate as Footnotes contributors:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must have been active on TikTok for at least six months
- Must have no recent violations of TikTok’s community guidelines
Starting today, eligible users in the United States can apply to become Footnotes contributors. Over the coming months, TikTok will gradually begin displaying Footnotes from approved contributors across selected videos.
While TikTok has not yet revealed exactly how or where Footnotes will appear on a video, more details are expected as testing expands.
Looking Ahead
Footnotes represents TikTok’s latest move to balance creative freedom with responsible information-sharing. By combining human judgment with algorithmic fairness, the platform aims to create a space where users can not only express themselves but also help others understand the full story behind a post.
As the system matures and gains more contributors, TikTok hopes Footnotes will become a cornerstone of informed dialogue across the app—boosting viewer trust, supporting creators, and empowering users to become active participants in the fight against misinformation.
