YouTube has launched a new experimental feature that allows viewers and contributors to add notes to videos, aiming to provide more context and clarity. This feature, announced today, is currently being tested on mobile devices in the U.S. and is available in English.
The feature allows users to add notes that can clarify details like whether a song is meant to be a parody, inform viewers about newer versions of products, or correct misunderstandings when old footage is portrayed as current.
This initiative builds on YouTube’s ongoing efforts to enhance information quality on the platform. Previously, YouTube introduced information panels and a disclosure requirement for altered or synthetic content to help viewers better understand the context of what they are watching. The new notes feature is seen as a continuation of these efforts.
A YouTube spokesperson explained, “We are excited to explore new ways to make context even more relevant, dynamic, and unique to the videos you’re watching. This feature will help users get timely and easy-to-understand information directly on videos.”
Initially, a select group of contributors will be invited to write notes. These contributors will be chosen based on their active YouTube channels being in good standing with the platform’s Community Guidelines. The feature will gradually roll out, with viewers in the U.S. expected to start seeing these notes in the coming weeks and months.
The notes will be subject to a rating system to determine their helpfulness. During the pilot phase, third-party evaluators—who also provide feedback on YouTube’s search results and recommendations—will assess the usefulness of these notes. As the experiment progresses, YouTube plans to allow contributors themselves to rate the notes.
“Viewers will be able to rate notes as ‘helpful,’ ‘somewhat helpful,’ or ‘unhelpful,’ and provide reasons for their ratings, such as whether the note cites high-quality sources or if it is written clearly and neutrally,” the spokesperson added.
The system that decides which notes appear under videos uses a bridging-based algorithm. This algorithm is designed to identify notes that are helpful to a broad audience, especially when people with different perspectives agree on a note’s usefulness. The system will improve over time as more notes are written and rated across various topics.
While YouTube is optimistic about the feature, the company acknowledges that there may be challenges during the initial rollout.
“We anticipate that there will be mistakes—notes that aren’t a great match for the video, or potentially incorrect information. That’s part of how we’ll learn from the experiment,” the spokesperson said.
The goal of this feature is to support information quality on the platform and ensure that users have access to relevant, accurate, and helpful context as they engage with content on YouTube.
This new feature marks another step in YouTube’s ongoing commitment to improving the quality of information on its platform, making it easier for viewers to understand the content they are watching.