YouTube launches community-driven notes feature to combat misinformation

YouTube has officially launched its own community-driven feature that lets selected users add context to videos on the platform.

First revealed back in June, YouTube’s notes feature will allow users to add important context to a video on the platform.

YouTube stated in its blog post that, at first, contributors will only be able to write notes while a group of third-party evaluators will be used to sort through everything written.

Once a note is considered helpful, the feature will appear beneath the video. As of writing, the feature is only available through the mobile app.

YouTube didn’t give a timeframe on when this feature would become available back in June, but on August 7, 2024, users began receiving email invites.

YouTube

“We’re inviting you to pilot a new YouTube feature that allows you to add helpful notes to videos. These notes will provide additional information and create a better-informed YouTube community,” reads the email.

While some users may get instant-access to the new notes feature, others may be placed on a waitlist and will receive an email when YouTube expands the program.

“You may be placed on the waitlist for access to this pilot. You will receive more information when you are off the waitlist and able to write notes,” it reads.

If you don’t get the email, YouTube has provided a way to sign up for the feature through the mobile app.

To sign up using YouTube on mobile:

1. Sign in to the YouTube mobile app.
2. Tap your profile picture.
3. Tap Settings, then General.
4. Tap Help inform viewers to begin signing up.

This makes YouTube the second platform to add a community-driven notes feature, with Twitter/X being the first. Community Notes on X are available to almost all users who complete the sign-up form available through the website.

Notes is just the latest feature made by YouTube in 2024. Back in June, the Google-owned company made its ‘test and compare’ feature for thumbnails available to all users.