Anyone can upload videos to YouTube and share them with the world. It’s logical that fake news and other dangerous content also make it onto the platform. YouTube is now presenting a new feature that is intended to put such videos in the right light.
Users who are invited to YouTube’s new program will be able to add notes to videos. For example, if someone uploads an AI-generated video and sells it as reality, there could be a note underneath the video stating that it is an AI-generated video.
Other participants in the program can review and share the notes. They then appear under the video, visible to all YouTube users. This should make it easier for viewers to identify false content. There is also a similar program on X (formerly Twitter).
Homemade problem
If the community notes work as hoped, YouTube could solve a problem it created itself and ensure more transparency again. Since the dislike function was abolished, viewers no longer have the option to warn other users about a video. Comments can be deleted and censored by the uploader.
The best example here are tutorial videos. If you are looking for a video to install a certain program on your phone, it is not possible to tell whether the video really shows you the correct app or whether it is trying to trick you into installing a virus. In the past, this would have been easy to tell by the large number of dislikes.
So far, the notes are only available to users in the USA. And only in the app and not on the website. However, this is normal for new functions in the test phase. It can be assumed that the function will soon be activated for other countries.
However, in order to write notes for other users, you must receive an invitation from YouTube. Registration is not possible, at least not yet.
