Twitter Introduces Captions for Voice Tweets on iOS
Twitter has taken a significant step towards accessibility by rolling out captions for voice tweets, enhancing the inclusivity of its platform. This move comes after the initial launch of voice tweets in June 2020, aiming to make Twitter more accessible to a wider range of users.
Automated Captions for Voice Tweets
The Verge reports that Twitter is now automatically generating captions for voice tweets in supported languages. Currently available on the iOS app, this feature ensures that users can access captions when listening to voice tweets.
Gurpreet Kaur, Twitter’s head of global accessibility, emphasized the platform’s commitment to accessibility: “As part of our ongoing work to make Twitter accessible for everyone, we’re rolling out automated captions for Voice Tweets to iOS.” Kaur acknowledged that while the feature may not be perfect initially, it represents one of many steps taken by Twitter to enhance accessibility across its service.
Supported Languages and Accessibility Enhancements
The automated captions feature currently supports several languages, including English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Arabic, Hindi, French, Indonesian, Korean, and Italian. Users can access captions by clicking or tapping the CC icon in the top-right corner of the voice tweet window.
Twitter’s dedication to accessibility has evolved over time. Initially, there wasn’t a dedicated team at Twitter specifically focused on accessibility. However, the company addressed this issue by forming dedicated teams to prioritize accessibility efforts, underscoring its commitment to creating an inclusive platform.
Captions in Twitter Spaces
In addition to voice tweets, Twitter has extended captions to Twitter Spaces, its social audio rooms akin to Clubhouse. This inclusion of captions in Twitter Spaces further enhances accessibility, allowing users to engage in audio conversations with the support of captions.
Twitter’s introduction of automated captions for voice tweets reflects its ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive and accessible social media experience. As technology evolves, platforms like Twitter continue to leverage innovations to cater to diverse user needs and promote inclusivity across digital spaces.
