YouTube is introducing a new feature called Community Notes to help combat misinformation by providing additional context for viewers. This initiative, inspired by a similar feature on X, allows users to contribute brief explanations or background details for specific videos.
The pilot program is currently available to a select group of users in the United States, who will receive invitations via email or through YouTube Creator Studio. To join, users need to have an active YouTube account in good standing. During this initial phase, YouTube will use “third-party evaluators” to judge the usefulness of the submitted notes, which will help train the system to ensure only the most valuable contributions are shown publicly.
Rating System and Algorithm
When the pilot program expands, viewers will be able to rate the helpfulness of Community Notes using a three-tier system: “helpful,” “somewhat helpful,” or “unhelpful.” They can also specify reasons for their ratings, such as the credibility of cited sources or the clarity of the note.
A unique “bridging-based algorithm” will decide which notes appear under videos. This algorithm favors notes that get positive ratings from a diverse group of viewers, including those with differing opinions. Although there is always a risk of misuse, YouTube aims to reduce the spread of misinformation through this approach.
Community Notes' Concept and Future Plans
The idea behind Community Notes is similar to a feature that Twitter introduced during Jack Dorsey's tenure and expanded globally under Elon Musk's ownership. While Twitter’s notes haven’t fully resolved accuracy issues, YouTube believes that this crowd-sourced method has potential. The pilot program will start on mobile devices for users in the United States. YouTube acknowledges there might be challenges as the system is refined, and a broader rollout in the US is anticipated in the upcoming weeks and months.
(Via)
