TikTok Introduces New Features for Managing Misinformation

TikTok, similar to other major social media platforms, is counting on its users to help fight misinformation.

On Wednesday, the popular video-sharing app revealed that users accepted into its pilot program will have the ability to provide context for short videos and rate comments. This is part of a new feature called “footnotes.”

The footnote feature was tested in April, and TikTok initially announced plans to allow users to contribute as pilot testers.

“Footnotes harness the collective knowledge of the TikTok community, enabling individuals to add relevant information to the content shared on our platform,” the company stated.

Similar to community notes initiatives on platforms like X and Meta, only those footnotes regarded as valuable by a substantial group of users with diverse opinions will be visible to others.

In April, TikTok mentioned that its ranking system draws inspiration from open-source models used by other platforms, including a reference to the source code behind Twitter’s community notes—now rebranded as X after Elon Musk’s acquisition.

Meanwhile, Meta, the parent organization of Instagram and Facebook, embraced a community notes model earlier this year as part of a third-party fact-checking initiative. This decision faced intense scrutiny, especially given its timing just before President Trump took office.

However, TikTok has not forsaken its existing fact-checking program, unlike X and Meta.

“Footnotes will complement these efforts, adding important details that may be absent, thereby enriching discussions on TikTok and enhancing the experiences of audiences, contributors, and creators,” the company noted back in April.

In addition to the footnote feature, TikTok also announced several new safety and well-being initiatives on Wednesday.

One key update focuses on teen accounts, allowing parents to receive automatic notifications when their children post content that is visible to others, along with providing more visibility into their privacy settings.

TikTok has introduced a new “mission” aimed at promoting user happiness, along with a tool that enables creators to filter out specific comments, words, phrases, and emojis from their content. They will also be able to pre-check whether their submissions qualify for visibility on the main feed.