TikTok introduces trend-creator crediting tool

Future. TikTok is rolling out a new button for users to credit who inspired their content. The feature could finally lift up creators who created viral dances, memes, sounds, or whatever else is taking off on the app. In order to compete, expect other platforms (like Twitch) to roll out their own versions in order to share the love (and engagement) among the community.

First steps
TikTok is giving trendsetters the credit they deserve.

• According to TechCrunch, the platform is introducing a feature that will let users tag and credit the original creator of a dance, meme, sound, etc.
• It’s meant to not only give props to the original creator of these viral elements but to also help other users discover their pages and hopefully redirect popularity to them.
• TikTok is making sure to add prompts in the video upload process to encourage users to use the feature.

When a creator is tagged using the feature, they’ll receive a notification in their app inbox… so if your dance goes viral, prepare for a lot of notifications.

A campaign to influence
The crediting feature can be seen as the result of a major push by creators to spotlight some of the platform’s biggest stars whose work has previously been co-opted.

• Black TikTok creators went on a dance strike last year, bringing attention to the overlooked contributions of BIPOC creators on the platform.
• The JaQuel Knight Foundation and Logitech started filing “labanotations” — a score that documents human movement through symbols in specific patterns — with the U.S. Copyright Office for a handful of creators.

Kudzi Chikumbu, TikTok’s director of the creator community, said that the new feature is “an important step in our ongoing commitment to investing in resources and product experiences that support a culture of credit.” In a world where anything can be monetized, building a “culture of credit” could be everything to burgeoning creators.