TikTok rolls out community notes, but with a twist from Meta and X's versions

Express Tribune

17-04-2025

TikTok is stepping into the fact-checking arena with its own crowd-sourced tool called Footnotes, joining the ranks of X and Meta.
But unlike those platforms, TikTok is keeping its professional fact-checkers and current moderation policies intact.
As the app continues to navigate its uncertain future in the United States, it's launching Footnotes, a feature that allows contributors to add 'more context' to videos.
'Footnotes offers a new opportunity for people to share their expertise and add an additional layer of context to the discussion using a consensus-driven approach,' said Adam Presser, TikTok's head of operations and trust and safety, in a blog post.
Footnotes has reportedly been on TikTok's roadmap since last year, and now it's the latest tech company to take a cue from X's popular Community Notes.
However, while Meta and X have revamped their moderation or integrated new fact-checking tools, TikTok's version is more focused on user contributions, offering 'helpful details that may be missing.'
Importantly, Footnotes will not affect a video's algorithmic ranking or its appearance on the For You page.
Presser explained the system will rely on a 'bridge-based ranking system designed to find agreement between people who usually have different opinions, inspired by the open-sourced system that other platforms use.'
That's a nod to the system X uses, where contributors must rate each other's notes for them to be published. Meta also adopted a similar model. But TikTok will be using its own algorithm to power Footnotes.
While it's unclear how Footnotes will be visually presented or how noticeable they will be within the app, TikTok has confirmed they must include a source, whether it's another TikTok video or a third-party site.
The rollout begins with a contributor program for users in the US. To join, you must be 18 or older, have an account at least six months old, and have no recent Community Guidelines violations.
For the next few months, contributors will be able to write and rate notes, though none will be visible to the public until testing progresses further. TikTok hasn't shared when or if the feature will expand globally.
This update comes while TikTok's US presence remains in limbo. President Donald Trump recently granted the company a 75-day extension to finalize a deal that will allow it to operate in the US.
Reports suggest the White House prefers a solution involving TikTok's current US investors, though it's unclear how Trump's China tariffs are influencing negotiations.