RNIB launches accessible social media checklist
RNIB logo – See differently.
Leading sight loss charity the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has launched its new accessible social media checklist to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which took place on Thursday 16 May.
The checklist has been created by RNIB’s social media team as a response to a lack of accessibility on Instagram, X, etc. by the public, brands and organisations who use these platforms.
Despite social media channels having a number of functions available for users to make their content accessible for other users, including blind and partially sighted people, these features often get overlooked and aren’t used enough. This ultimately means a number of social media posts cannot be accessed or enjoyed by the large number of people with sight loss who also use these sites.
One of the best ways people can make their social media posts accessible is by including alt text. Alt text is a written description of an image that ensures blind and partially sighted people can engage with content in the same way as everyone else.
Recent research conducted by RNIB found that only three in ten people are aware of Alt Text. Out of those who do know about it, nearly half of those (47 per cent) said they’d use it if they saw others do the same. Through launching their social media checklist, RNIB is aiming to spread the word far and wide about alt text and other accessibility features, to improve the user experience for people with sight loss.
Additionally, it will act as a prompt for people to keep blind and partially sighted people, and accessibility, in mind when posting on their channels and ensuring they’ve done everything they can to make their posts as accessible as possible.
Holly Tuke works as a Social Media Officer at RNIB and has sight loss. She said:
“For people living with sight loss, accessibility is vital in ensuring we can enjoy the same content as our sighted peers. When it comes to social media, there are a number of features that often get forgotten that can make a huge difference to people with sight loss in using these platforms on a daily basis. We are thrilled to be launching our accessibility checklist, and hope that people engage with our work to make social media accessible for everyone.”
To read the checklist, and to find out more about social media accessibility, visit the RNIB website.
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