TikTok launches Footnotes to combat misinformation

In a move echoing recent developments at Meta and X (formerly Twitter), TikTok has unveiled a new feature called Footnotes, aiming to empower its users in the fight against misinformation. The feature is currently being rolled out in the United States as a pilot program for short-form videos and marks TikTok’s first significant step into the world of crowd-sourced content moderation.

Much like X’s Community Notes, Footnotes is designed to give viewers additional context on content that might otherwise be misleading or incomplete. According to TikTok, the feature allows approved users to attach explanatory notes to videos, offering background information, clarifications, or counterpoints. The goal is to enhance transparency and foster more informed discussions on the platform.

Contributors to Footnotes must meet specific eligibility criteria: they must be over 18, have a clean behavioral record, and be active TikTok users for at least six months. Once part of the program, they can both write notes and rate the helpfulness of other submissions. However, for a note to be made public, it must be considered “helpful” by a diverse set of contributors—specifically those who often disagree with each other. This system is designed to bridge ideological divides and promote consensus-based information sharing.

TikTok has dubbed this the "bridge-based ranking system", emphasizing its efforts to balance different perspectives before highlighting any community note to the broader audience. This method closely mirrors the mechanics of X’s Community Notes, which also aim to surface only those contributions that achieve cross-ideological agreement.

While TikTok doesn’t explicitly admit to following in X’s footsteps, the similarities are undeniable. Community Notes, originally launched as Birdwatch in 2021, was designed to decentralize the fact-checking process by allowing the user base to add context to potentially misleading posts. After Elon Musk took over Twitter and rebranded it as X, the system was given greater visibility—despite occasional reliability concerns.

TikTok’s own statement says Footnotes was inspired by “open-sourced systems used by other platforms,” a thinly veiled nod to its clear influence.

However, as past examples have shown, crowd-sourced moderation is not without flaws. X’s Community Notes, while innovative, has often struggled with timeliness and effectiveness. A 2024 study from the Center for Countering Digital Hate revealed that many of the most harmful election-related posts were never flagged in time, with contextual notes appearing only after such content had already spread widely.

TikTok appears aware of these limitations and is not replacing its existing moderation systems. The company continues to work with IFCN-accredited fact-checking organizations in dozens of languages worldwide. Footnotes, it emphasizes, is meant to be an additional layer, not a replacement.

The rollout of Footnotes also comes at a politically delicate time for TikTok. The platform’s parent company, ByteDance, is facing mounting pressure from U.S. lawmakers, who are pushing for the company to sell its U.S. operations or risk being banned outright. Concerns around national security, data privacy, and the app’s influence on American discourse remain front and center in the debate.

Introducing a more transparent and community-driven moderation tool may help TikTok signal accountability and reduce criticism over its role in spreading misinformation—especially in a year when U.S. political tensions are high and election-related content is under intense scrutiny.

With Footnotes, TikTok becomes the latest tech giant to explore the potential—and pitfalls—of decentralized content moderation. While the tool adds a promising layer of context and accountability, its long-term effectiveness will depend on user engagement, editorial integrity, and the platform’s commitment to refining the process. As the battle against online misinformation evolves, the success of initiatives like Footnotes may help shape the future of social media’s approach to truth, trust, and transparency.