Social Media

UMKC leverages social media for engagement, fostering connections and communicating emergencies. Using accessibility features on social media platforms is crucial for ensuring posts are accessible, alongside creating accessible content from the outset. To ensure accessibility of social media posts, utilize the alternative text and captioning features available on social media platforms to begin.

Facebook

Facebook’s Automatic Alt Text (AAT) technology automatically describes an image you upload or post. The automatic alt text is not always correct. You can edit the alt text for images to add an accurate description so users of screen readers have access to the same information.

Edit alternative text on Facebook image

Automatically generate and edit video captions on Facebook

Instagram

Instagram uses object recognition technology and computer-vision AI to automatically generate picture descriptions. These auto-generated alt texts can be read by screen readers or alternative output devices. You can also edit the alt text for images to provide a more accurate description of the photo.

Edit the alternative text for a post on Instagram

Automatically generate and edit video captions on Instagram

LinkedIn

LinkedIn allows users to add alternative text (alt-text) to images shared on their feed or embedded in articles. This helps members using screen readers understand the content of the image.

Add Alternative Text to LinkedIn Images

Automatically generate and edit video captions on LinkedIn

TikTok

Automatically generate and edit video captions on TikTok

X

X doesn’t generate alt text for images automatically. To make your content accessible, you need to add image descriptions manually.

How to add image descriptions

Add captions to video on X by uploading .srt files

YouTube

Closed captions enable hard-of-hearing or deaf users to engage with YouTube content. When you upload videos and shorts, YouTube auto-generates captions. However, these automatic captions often require significant edits. Always review and edit the captions before publishing, regardless of the video’s length or the initial quality of the captions.

Edit YouTube’s auto-generated captions

Resources