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What It’s Like to Use Facebook When You’re Blind What It’s Like to Use Facebook When You’re Blind
(about 2 hours later)
Imagine scrolling through Facebook with all the images blacked out. You can read your friends’ jokes and their commentary on the links they share. But vacation photos? Visual memes? A video of an old school friend’s anniversary party? All of these visuals, with their rich details and subtexts, are concealed from view.Imagine scrolling through Facebook with all the images blacked out. You can read your friends’ jokes and their commentary on the links they share. But vacation photos? Visual memes? A video of an old school friend’s anniversary party? All of these visuals, with their rich details and subtexts, are concealed from view.
For years, that was essentially my experience on Facebook, and it remains that way for me on other social media platforms and the internet at large. You see, I am blind. I rely on a screen reader to use my computer — it reads the words in text out loud. Since a screen reader recognizes only words and numbers, photographs, diagrams and other images are often inaccessible.For years, that was essentially my experience on Facebook, and it remains that way for me on other social media platforms and the internet at large. You see, I am blind. I rely on a screen reader to use my computer — it reads the words in text out loud. Since a screen reader recognizes only words and numbers, photographs, diagrams and other images are often inaccessible.
Three years ago, my life on Facebook transformed. Now my screen reader tells me that I am “looking” at a photograph of my sister, standing on a beach in Hawaii, enjoying a colorful sunset, or that my children are together at their favorite cafe, sharing brunch and smiling at each other.Three years ago, my life on Facebook transformed. Now my screen reader tells me that I am “looking” at a photograph of my sister, standing on a beach in Hawaii, enjoying a colorful sunset, or that my children are together at their favorite cafe, sharing brunch and smiling at each other.
This change occurred thanks to a technology that usually gets negative attention in the press: facial recognition.This change occurred thanks to a technology that usually gets negative attention in the press: facial recognition.
I wanted to explore Facebook from its earliest days, just like everyone else. But without accessibility tools, I could understand very little of the content posted by other users. I was frustrated. Fortunately, I knew Elliot Schrage, then Facebook’s vice president of communications, because our sons attended the same school. Elliot agreed to meet with me and I told him all about what it’s like to be a blind Facebook user and how the platform could do a better job of including people with disabilities. He assured me that Facebook was on it. I wanted to explore Facebook from its earliest days, just like everyone else. But without accessibility tools, I could understand very little of the content posted by other users. I was frustrated. Fortunately, I knew Elliot Schrage, then Facebook’s vice president of communications and public policy, because our sons attended the same school. Elliot agreed to meet with me and I told him all about what it’s like to be a blind Facebook user and how the platform could do a better job of including people with disabilities. He assured me that Facebook was on it.
And it was. In July of 2011, Facebook established an accessibility team. Nonetheless, access during those first years remained very limited. I could hear only that my newsfeed contained “photos.” There was no way for me to understand what the pictures were about. My time on Facebook was both enticing and frustrating. I wanted to understand and appreciate everything that my Facebook friends shared, but I couldn’t.And it was. In July of 2011, Facebook established an accessibility team. Nonetheless, access during those first years remained very limited. I could hear only that my newsfeed contained “photos.” There was no way for me to understand what the pictures were about. My time on Facebook was both enticing and frustrating. I wanted to understand and appreciate everything that my Facebook friends shared, but I couldn’t.
In 2016 Facebook introduced “automatic alt text” technology to help identify objects. This feature uses artificial intelligence to sense standard outlines of common objects, like people, dogs and trees, and then speaks their generic label. Instead of hearing only “photo” when my cursor scrolled down my newsfeed, I could then understand that the photo contained a picture of something like “two people, indoors” or “trees and flowers with blue sky.” This kind of description allowed me to guess what the picture might be about, but still largely excluded me from understanding its content and context.In 2016 Facebook introduced “automatic alt text” technology to help identify objects. This feature uses artificial intelligence to sense standard outlines of common objects, like people, dogs and trees, and then speaks their generic label. Instead of hearing only “photo” when my cursor scrolled down my newsfeed, I could then understand that the photo contained a picture of something like “two people, indoors” or “trees and flowers with blue sky.” This kind of description allowed me to guess what the picture might be about, but still largely excluded me from understanding its content and context.
Alt text created even more questions for me. Who were those people in the picture? What kind of trees, what color flowers? While it was a step in the right direction, alt text would never describe the images flooding my newsfeed every day sufficiently to let me participate fully in Facebook.Alt text created even more questions for me. Who were those people in the picture? What kind of trees, what color flowers? While it was a step in the right direction, alt text would never describe the images flooding my newsfeed every day sufficiently to let me participate fully in Facebook.
Then, a breakthrough: Facebook introduced facial recognition for photos in January 2017. This feature identifies many of the subjects in photographs while allowing users to opt in or out for privacy reasons. Now a scroll through my Facebook newsfeed identifies by name most of the people contained in the photographs. Rather than guessing who the subject of a picture is, I now hear the names of my loved ones. Then, a breakthrough: Facebook introduced facial recognition for photos in January 2017. This feature identifies many of the subjects in photographs while allowing users to opt in or out for privacy reasons. A scroll through my Facebook newsfeed today identifies by name most of the people contained in the photographs. Rather than guessing who the subject of a picture is, I hear the names of my loved ones.
While sighted users may take these details for granted, this technology allows me to understand both context and content, the nuances of smiling faces and the brilliance of colorful sunsets, even though I cannot actually view them. Without facial recognition technology, I would never know that my daughter posted candid pictures from her wedding, or that my niece proudly displayed photos of her son’s first steps. I can now enjoy these details that make up the fabric of our lives and participate in a meaningful way.While sighted users may take these details for granted, this technology allows me to understand both context and content, the nuances of smiling faces and the brilliance of colorful sunsets, even though I cannot actually view them. Without facial recognition technology, I would never know that my daughter posted candid pictures from her wedding, or that my niece proudly displayed photos of her son’s first steps. I can now enjoy these details that make up the fabric of our lives and participate in a meaningful way.
Unfortunately, Facebook is the only major social media platform to embrace facial recognition for accessibility purposes. Other social media sites use automatic alt text technology. Instagram is one of many sites that even let users write and post their own “alt text” descriptions. But it’s not enough: Every site on the internet should use facial recognition. This would allow blind and low-vision users full entry to everything that the web has to offer.Unfortunately, Facebook is the only major social media platform to embrace facial recognition for accessibility purposes. Other social media sites use automatic alt text technology. Instagram is one of many sites that even let users write and post their own “alt text” descriptions. But it’s not enough: Every site on the internet should use facial recognition. This would allow blind and low-vision users full entry to everything that the web has to offer.
If Facebook can do it, so can other sites — especially Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. The internet relies on photographs and images for everything from social interaction to commerce. The internet must be fully accessible to everyone.If Facebook can do it, so can other sites — especially Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. The internet relies on photographs and images for everything from social interaction to commerce. The internet must be fully accessible to everyone.
That said, I do not approve of uncontrolled deployment of facial recognition technology. I understand and support communities pushing to limit the use of facial recognition by government, including immigration and law enforcement agencies.That said, I do not approve of uncontrolled deployment of facial recognition technology. I understand and support communities pushing to limit the use of facial recognition by government, including immigration and law enforcement agencies.
Companies should be required to allow people to opt out of having their face used in facial recognition. There should be strict protocols for building facial recognition databanks that prevent companies from inappropriate, unlawful or intrusive purposes. A network of international laws should ensure that the data is not being sold or used improperly.Companies should be required to allow people to opt out of having their face used in facial recognition. There should be strict protocols for building facial recognition databanks that prevent companies from inappropriate, unlawful or intrusive purposes. A network of international laws should ensure that the data is not being sold or used improperly.
This kind of regulation protects our privacy and safety in other industries, like automobiles, airplane travel, food and medicine. Expanding the use of facial recognition online while also developing sensible rules will take effort, but it will be worth it. I want to experience the internet just like everyone else — and so do millions of other people with blindness and low vision. Working within a framework that respects both the promise of this technology and the importance of privacy rights will create an internet that is inclusive, productive and good for us all.This kind of regulation protects our privacy and safety in other industries, like automobiles, airplane travel, food and medicine. Expanding the use of facial recognition online while also developing sensible rules will take effort, but it will be worth it. I want to experience the internet just like everyone else — and so do millions of other people with blindness and low vision. Working within a framework that respects both the promise of this technology and the importance of privacy rights will create an internet that is inclusive, productive and good for us all.
Janni Lehrer-Stein is a disability rights advocate and retired attorney. She served on the National Council on Disability under President Barack Obama and is currently a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee’s disability council.Janni Lehrer-Stein is a disability rights advocate and retired attorney. She served on the National Council on Disability under President Barack Obama and is currently a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee’s disability council.
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