TikTok’s ‘Footnotes’ Feature Introduced to Address Misinformation
United States – April 2025: TikTok has launched a new experimental feature called “Footnotes” aimed at enhancing content transparency and combating misinformation. The feature is currently being tested in the United States, where TikTok has over 170 million users.
Key Highlights of the Footnotes Feature
- Purpose: Footnotes allow users to add additional context beneath videos that may appear misleading or lack clarity.
- Availability: The feature is being tested among adult users in the U.S. who have used TikTok for over six months and have no history of violating the platform’s community guidelines.
- Functionality: Users can apply to become contributors and submit relevant information to videos. These Footnotes can be rated for helpfulness by other users.
How It Works
- Once a Footnote is rated as “helpful,” it becomes visible on the platform.
- All users can then vote on its accuracy and relevance.
- The goal is to enhance public understanding of video content by adding informative notes.
TikTok’s Approach vs. Other Platforms
- Unlike X (formerly Twitter), which uses Community Notes, TikTok will continue its own internal fact-checking program.
- TikTok’s measures include:
- Content labels
- Search banners
- Partnerships with fact-checking organizations such as AFP
- Contextual Footnotes
Statement from TikTok’s Operations Head
Adam Presser, TikTok’s Head of Operations, stated:
“Footnotes will draw on the collective knowledge of the TikTok community. Whether the content discusses a complex STEM concept or an ongoing event, additional context can help others better understand it.”
Background Context and Industry Comparison
- TikTok’s initiative comes at a time when misinformation on social media continues to raise global concerns.
- Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, recently ended its U.S.-based third-party fact-checking program. Instead, it now relies on a model similar to Community Notes.
- Despite this shift, experts and researchers have raised concerns about the effectiveness of crowd-sourced moderation.
Ongoing Legal and Political Context
TikTok’s new feature also arrives amid mounting pressure on its parent company, ByteDance, which faces a U.S. government mandate to sell TikTok or face a ban. Former U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned that a deal was near, but recent tariffs on Chinese products have disrupted negotiations.
ByteDance has acknowledged that discussions with the U.S. government are ongoing but noted that “key matters” remain unresolved.
