Alphabet's YouTube has unveiled a new feature on its blog called "notes," designed to allow users to add experimental, community-sourced context to videos.
This feature permits individuals to contribute pertinent and easily comprehendible information to videos. This includes clarifying parodies, indicating new product versions, and correcting misrepresentations of older footage as current events.
YouTube has announced that a select group of eligible contributors will be invited to participate in testing this feature to refine the system before a broader rollout. To qualify, contributors must maintain an active YouTube channel that complies with the Community Guidelines.
In the upcoming weeks and months, notes will begin to appear on videos for U.S. viewers, with third-party evaluators gauging their helpfulness to inform system enhancements. These evaluators are individuals who already provide feedback on YouTube's search results and recommendations.
As the pilot moves forward, contributors might also be involved in the evaluation of the notes themselves. YouTube specified that the trial will initially be available on mobile devices in the U.S. and in English. They acknowledged that while the initiative is experimental, they anticipate errors during the testing phase. Such errors may include notes that are not appropriately matched to the video or potentially incorrect information, which will be integral to learning from the experiment.
