In a bid to tackle misinformation and provide context to viral videos, TikTok has officially launched its new community-driven fact-checking feature, Footnotes, in the U.S., according to media reports.

First introduced as a pilot, Footnotes enables eligible contributors to write and evaluate contextual notes on videos. The system is modeled after similar efforts like X’s Community Notes and Meta’s community moderation initiative.

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Now available to all TikTok users in the U.S., Footnotes will display notes rated as helpful and allow users to submit their own ratings. To qualify as a contributor, users must be over 18, have been active on TikTok for at least six months, and have no recent violations of the platform’s Community Standards.

Since applications opened in April, nearly 80,000 U.S. users have qualified to contribute to Footnotes, according to TikTok.

At the heart of the system is a “bridging algorithm”-a consensus-based model that highlights notes rated as helpful by people with varying viewpoints. The approach aims to minimize bias and manipulation, ensuring users receive balanced and credible context. TikTok stated the goal is to “give the community more context around the content they’re seeing.”

“Sometimes the person who posted the video is trying to mislead. Other times, they may simply lack complete information. Footnotes helps bridge that gap,” the company said in a statement.

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TikTok clarified that Footnotes will complement, not replace, its existing Global Fact-checking program. That program includes partnerships with over 20 IFCN-accredited fact-checking organizations, covering more than 60 languages across 130 markets.

With this launch, TikTok joins other tech giants that have introduced community moderation features to address rising misinformation concerns. X (formerly Twitter) debuted Birdwatch in 2020, later evolving it into the globally available Community Notes.

Meta adopted a similar model in 2024, shifting away from traditional fact-checking in response to mounting political and regulatory pressures.

YouTube, too, began testing its own Notes feature last year, reflecting a broader move across platforms toward participatory content moderation.