New YouTube experiment allows viewers to add context to misinformation in videos

Similar to an X (formerly Twitter) feature, this new notes tool allows the public to add context to videos.

New YouTube experiment allows viewers to add context to misinformation in videos
YouTube on smartphone stock photo 2
Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
  • Google has announced a new experimental YouTube notes feature.
  • This tool allows the public to add context to YouTube videos.
  • So far, it is only available on mobile in the US in English and only for a “limited number of eligible contributors.”

A good presenter in a well-produced YouTube video will tell you information clearly and confidently. However, sometimes that information isn’t entirely accurate, either because the presenter has made an honest mistake or, in some cases, is purposely trying to mislead you. When this happens, there currently is little recourse for someone watching the video to do anything about this.

Thanks to a new YouTube notes experiment, that could change. Starting today, in the United States, for “a limited number of eligible contributors” who speak English, YouTube will allow notes to be added to public videos. The way Google describes it in its blog post, the feature seems to be quite similar to Community Notes on X (formerly Twitter). Essentially, it allows viewers to add context to a specific claim in a video so other viewers can be more aware of the facts surrounding it.