YouTube is launching an experimental feature that allows viewers to add “Notes” under videos to provide more context and information. This feature is similar to Community Notes on X (formerly Twitter). The feature can be used for clarifying details, such as indicating when a song is a parody or when older footage is presented as current.
The introduction of this feature comes during a crucial U.S. election year, addressing concerns about the spread of misinformation, especially with the rise of generative AI. The initial pilot will be available on mobile in the U.S. in English.
YouTube acknowledges potential errors during the test phase, including notes that may not fit well with a video or contain incorrect information. The company plans to learn from the test and welcomes feedback from viewers and creators. A limited number of users, who have an active YouTube channel in good standing, will be invited to write notes.
Viewers in the U.S. will start seeing notes on videos in the coming weeks and months. During the pilot, third-party evaluators will assess the helpfulness and accuracy of notes. These evaluations will help train YouTube’s systems.
If the third-party evaluators find a note helpful, it will be displayed under a video. Viewers can then rate the note as “helpful,” “somewhat helpful,” or “unhelpful” and provide reasons for their ratings. YouTube will use these ratings to determine which notes to publish, favoring those deemed helpful by a broad audience.
The system will continuously improve as more notes are submitted and rated across different video types. Based on the feature’s performance and feedback, YouTube will decide whether to officially roll it out.
