Crediting Creators
TikTok is the home to a slew of various trends that take shape in the form of recipes, dances, sounds, and more. Trends can travel from user to user so quickly that sometimes, creators can have a hard time identifying the trend originator. But we want to make originators known and celebrated for the work they create — we want TikTok to have a culture of credit.
Crediting Originators
Originators put a lot of time, energy, and effort into making videos on TikTok. Acknowledging their work will help contribute to building a rewarding and fair experience on the platform.
When you credit your favorite creators for their work, you’re sending out all the good vibes and ultimately paying it forward.
And think about it: How cool would it be if you started a trend and a ton of users were inspired to replicate it and give you credit for originating it? Let’s all work toward crediting trendsetters on TikTok. Here’s how you can give credit to trend originators on the platform.
Crediting Creators Tool
We’ve introduced new tools to better enable creator crediting and encourage proper attribution to all trend originators. Now you can tag, mention, and credit a video in your caption.
How to use crediting tools:
- On the Post page, click “videos”.
- Tap “Give credit to a video” and then “Continue.”
- Select a video that you have liked, favorited, posted, or that has used the same sound.
- On the Post page, the video you just selected will be added in the caption.
How to Properly Attribute
If you want to participate in crediting originators on TikTok, there are also many other ways you can attribute them in your post.
The first way is probably the easiest: you can tag the originator’s TikTok handle in the caption of your video. You can also supplement the tag with “inspired by” or “ib,” or “dance credit” or “dc” for a dance trend.
Another way to give credit is duet or stitch the original trend video. Finally, you can credit an originator by mentioning them in your video, too.
And if you forget to credit the originator by accident? Don’t worry. You can always tag them in your comments section after your video is posted.
What if You Can’t Find the Originator?
Sometimes, trends travel so fast on TikTok that you might use a trend without knowing the originator at all. What do you do if you can’t find out who created the trend you’re using?
You can do a little research, like checking the sound or hashtag page to see if other creators are crediting an originator. You could also comment in the video you saw that inspired you to post, and ask other TikTok community members if they know the account or name of the originator.
While these are not guaranteed ways to find the originator of a trend, it’s always great to try your best to find the first creator and acknowledge their hard work! Tag the person who inspired you, and you can create a ripple effect. By working together, we can all move toward crediting and celebrating creators around the global TikTok community.
Celebrating and Uplifting Content Originators
Even if you’re not always creating videos that are inspired by trends, you can help credit originators, too. If you see a video in which someone is inspired by a trend but doesn’t properly credit the originator, you are welcome to comment with a supportive shoutout mentioning the trend originator’s TikTok username.
TikTok is a special place because of the inspiring creators in our community. The more you acknowledge originators for their hard work and creativity, the more others will want to do so as well. Who knows? You might even create the next trend, and you should definitely be recognized for your creativity!
Tag us to share what you learned from the #creatorportal.
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