YouTube to allow viewers to add context to videos

In a pilot program, YouTube is introducing "notes," a feature that allows viewers to add contextual information to videos. This could be clarifying if a video is satire or uses outdated footage.

For now, only a select group can contribute notes, which are then rated by third-party evaluators. Over time, viewers will be asked to rate the helpfulness of notes, shaping an algorithm to determine which ones are most valuable to the community.

Limited to mobile users in the US for now, notes aim to combat misinformation but also introduce the risk of irrelevant information. This approach is similar to Twitter's (now X) community notes feature, which began testing in 2021.

By starting small and learning from user feedback, YouTube hopes to create a reliable system for adding context and reducing the spread of misinformation on its platform.