Social Media Accessibility

Platform-Specific Accessibility Guidance

Social media platforms regularly update their accessibility features. The following guidance outlines recommended practices for adding captions, alternative text, and other accessibility features on commonly used platforms.

Facebook

Images

• Facebook automatically generates alt text for uploaded images.
• Review and edit the auto-generated description to ensure it accurately reflects the image’s meaning and context.
• To edit alt text, upload the image, select Edit Alt Text, and add a clear description.
• If the image contains important text (such as a flyer or announcement), include that information in the post caption or link to an accessible webpage.

Videos

• Facebook can automatically generate captions for uploaded videos.
• Review and edit captions to ensure names, terminology, and campus locations are accurate.
• You may also upload a caption file (.srt) for greater accuracy.

Facebook Live

• Provide live captioning whenever possible for events such as lectures, ceremonies, or announcements.
• If live captions are unavailable, add captions to the recorded video as soon as possible after the event.

Instagram

Images

• Add alt text during the publishing process.
• On the final screen before publishing, select Advanced Settings and choose Write Alt Text.
• Provide a brief description explaining the key information or purpose of the image.

Videos and Reels

• Instagram offers automatic captioning for videos and Reels.
• Review and edit captions to correct errors before publishing.
• If important visual information appears on screen, ensure it is also communicated in narration or captions.

Hashtags and Emojis

• Use CamelCase hashtags so screen readers can interpret them correctly (example: #SUNYPolyOpenHouse).
• Avoid placing emojis between words.
• Leave spaces between hashtags and emojis for better readability.

Stories

• Ensure text is large enough and has sufficient contrast with the background.
• Avoid placing important information behind stickers or interactive elements.

LinkedIn

Images

• LinkedIn allows alt text for images during the upload process.
• Select Add Alt Text below the image and provide a brief description.

Videos

• LinkedIn automatically generates captions for videos.
• Review captions after processing to ensure accuracy.
• You may also upload your own caption file (.srt).

Documents

• LinkedIn allows document uploads such as PDFs.
• Ensure shared documents are accessible or provide a summary of key information in the post text.

TikTok

Photo Posts

• TikTok supports alt text for photo posts.
• Add alt text by selecting More Options and choosing Add alternative text for screen readers.

Videos

• Enable TikTok’s auto-caption feature when uploading videos.
• Review captions to correct errors before publishing.

Creator Captions

• The Creator Captions feature automatically transcribes spoken audio.
• Review and edit the generated captions to ensure correct spelling and timing.

Text Overlays

• Ensure on-screen text remains visible long enough to read.
• Use strong contrast between text and background.

X (formerly Twitter)

Images

• Add image descriptions (alt text) when uploading images.
• Descriptions should summarize the content of the image and include any important text in the graphic.

Videos

• Upload caption files (.srt) whenever possible.
• Review caption timing and accuracy before publishing.

Threads

• If posting multiple tweets in a thread, ensure key information is included in the text rather than relying on images alone.

YouTube

Captions

• YouTube automatically generates captions for videos.
• Always review and edit captions to correct errors in names, terminology, and punctuation.

Transcripts

• Provide transcripts for longer informational videos whenever possible.

Visual Information

• If important information appears visually (charts, slides, demonstrations), describe it in the narration.