TikTok will start to roll out globally over the coming weeks, it started to roll out in the US and Canada yesterday, a new feature that informs viewers when they identify a video with unsubstantiated content in an effort to reduce sharing. And this feature was designed to help users be mindful of what they share.
“Sometimes fact checks are inconclusive or content is not able to be confirmed, especially during unfolding events. In these cases, a video may become ineligible for recommendation into anyone’s For You feed to limit the spread of potentially misleading information. Today, we’re taking that a step further to inform viewers when we identify a video with unsubstantiated content in an effort to reduce sharing.”
-TikTok
In a statement, TikTok wrote, “We remove misinformation as we identify it and partner with fact checkers at PolitiFact, Lead Stories, and SciVerify to help us assess the accuracy of content. If fact checks confirm content to be false, we’ll remove the video from our platform.”
How the Feature Works
This is how the feature works according to TikTok:
A viewer will see a banner on a video if the content has been reviewed but cannot be conclusively validated.
The video’s creator will also be notified that their video was flagged as unsubstantiated content.
If a viewer attempts to share the flagged video, they’ll see a prompt reminding them that the video has been flagged as unverified content. This additional step requires a pause for people to consider their next move before they choose to “cancel” or “share anyway.”
Source: TikTok
