YouTube is taking significant steps to enhance its platform’s user engagement and information accuracy. The video-sharing giant recently launched a pilot program for its new community notes feature, inviting select users to test this innovative tool.
The community notes feature, reminiscent of a similar function on X (formerly Twitter), was first announced by YouTube in June. Initially, the platform began testing with a limited group of eligible contributors. However, this week marks a notable program expansion, with YouTube sending out invitations to a broader user base.
Participants in the pilot program receive invitations highlighting the feature’s potential to “add helpful notes to videos” and “provide additional information,” ultimately aiming to create a more informed YouTube community. This move signals YouTube’s commitment to fostering a collaborative environment where users can contribute to the platform’s content ecosystem.
To support this initiative, YouTube has added a new section to its Help database, offering guidelines on writing and submitting notes effectively. The company emphasizes the importance of originality, encouraging users to craft notes in their own words rather than simply copying from external sources.
Additionally, users are advised to cite credible sources to support their claims, enhancing the reliability of the information provided.
Currently, the pilot program is limited to users in the United States and is only available in English on mobile devices. Eligible participants will notice a new “Add note” button beneath videos, allowing them to submit notes. To maintain objectivity, the identity of note contributors will remain anonymous if their submissions are published.
As YouTube continues to refine this feature, it’s expected to become available to a wider audience in the coming weeks or months. This development aligns with YouTube’s ongoing efforts to improve user experience and content quality across its platform.
In parallel developments, YouTube is also testing new features, including less intrusive Picture-in-Picture ads for live streams and a sleep timer function. The latter, however, will initially be exclusive to YouTube Premium subscribers.
