YouTube is gradually offering a way for content creators to issue a correction for erroneous information. Video makers will no longer have to re-shoot or re-edit a video or upload an entirely new video to correct their mistakes.
YouTube is introducing a new feature named “Corrections” that lets creators easily add clarifications about mistakes. After a creator uploads a video, they can add Corrections. These will appear as “InfoCards” in the top right-hand corner of a video at the relevant timestamp. Viewers can click on the card to expand the correction notes in the video’s description.
Google has offered a detailed set of instructions on how to add corrections. Alternatively, creators can watch an explainer video:
The new feature appears to be trying to set a balance. Previously, creators had to edit and re-upload the video which contained errors. However, by doing so, the creator risked losing all comments and engagement metrics for the video. Alternatively, a creator could add a note to the video’s description or pin a comment with the correction. However, this could be easily missed, and there would be a barrage of comments highlighting the error and offering a correction. The new feature helps a content creator offer corrections without losing metrics and comments.
Strangely, the new Corrections InfoCard seems to appear only for the first correction in any given video. There are no InfoCards highlighting any more corrections. Hence, it will be up to the viewers to click on the first InfoCard that appears to view all the corrections.
With the ever-increasing number of videos being uploaded every day, YouTube has offered a rather small but still important way for content creators to accept that there are errors in their content. But it is not clear if such a method will help a content creator avoid penalties for including incorrect information. Moreover, the Corrections InfoCard might be used to sneakily insert misinformation without fearing disciplinary action.