Community Notes à la TikTok: Footnotes Launch in the U.S.
Following in the footsteps of X and Meta when it comes to content moderation, TikTok is now heading down a similar path (but it’s not pure copy-catting 😽). The platform has introduced its own version of community notes in the U.S., called Footnotes.
They don’t work exactly the same way as Meta’s or X’s versions, so let’s break down what you actually need to know and what the key differences are.
What are TikTok Footnotes?
Footnotes are TikTok’s take on community notes — short, user-written notes that will appear under videos.
Users can add a quick explanation or context to a video. For example, flagging AI-generated content, correcting a misleading claim, or linking to a reliable source.
TikTok gave us this preview:
Who can write Footnotes?
Right now, only around 80,000 U.S.-based users have been approved to write Footnotes. You’ll need to meet a few requirements to join the contributor club:
- You must live in the U.S.
- Your account has to be at least 6 months old
- No recent violations of TikTok’s Community Guidelines
TikTok is still accepting new contributors, so if you’re eligible, you can apply to participate.
And just so you know, every Footnote must be backed by a source. Moderation is handled through a mix of automation, community reviews, and human reviewers.
How Does TikTok Decide Which Footnotes Appear?
Through something called the “bridging algorithm”.
Let’s say Andrew, a TikTok footnote writer, writes a note to add context to a TikTok. He cites a credible source. Then, George and Wendy (two other approved footnote writers) will review his note and rate it as helpful (or not).
Andrew’s footnote only gets displayed when there is a “broad consensus among reviewers with diverse perspectives” that the note is helpful.
As more people contribute and the algorithm gets smarter, Footnotes will appear more frequently. Viewers can also rate them, and if something feels off, you can report them.
Dual Verification: Community + Fact-Checkers
TikTok’s approach isn’t “community notes instead of fact-checkers”, but it’s rather both.
Footnotes are designed to be an addition to TikTok’s professional fact-checking efforts, not replace them. The idea is to layer different verification methods together. Something we haven’t seen quite as clearly from X or Meta.
And yep, it’s still early days. So don’t expect Footnotes to show up under every video just yet. But over time, as more contributors join and the system learns what’s helpful, you’ll likely see more of them.
So… What Does This Mean for Creators and Social Media Marketers?
Here’s the part that matters for your strategy: Footnotes don’t affect your reach; at least not for now. But they can affect how people perceive your content.
If you’re building a brand on TikTok (or helping someone who is), Footnotes are something to keep an eye on. With all the regulatory pressure in the U.S., TikTok is making efforts to improve transparency.
One More Thing:
TikTok is also testing a new feature called Content Check Lite in TikTok Studio (desktop only for now). It lets you preview whether your video is likely to land on the For You Page before you hit publish. It flags possible guideline issues and even suggests how to fix them.
That’s it for now. Until the next TikTok update, here’s something that might help you grow your channel:
