Twitter announced its new font this week, after teasing it in January. Although Twitter claimed that the updates would make the platform easier to use, accessibility experts disagree.The most noticeable change is that tweets now appear using Chirp, Twitter's proprietary typeface. Also, the display features more contrast between background and text. Other changes made to the interface included removing unnecessary divider lines and making it less cluttered. High-contrast design is a good option for people with low vision. However, the current contrast level causes strain for some users. Twitter exceeds the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines' minimum contrast standards. This guideline provides guidelines for making websites accessible for disabled users. Web accessibility is not a one-size-fits-all approach. While some people may require a high contrast display, others with chronic migraines might need a less stark experience. Research also shows that people with dyslexia tend to read more quickly when they are presented with text with lower contrast.Alex Haagaard, a designer researcher and founder member of The Disabled List, stated that I felt pain in my eyes immediately after the update. Within half an hour I had a tension headache. I suffer from chronic pain and cannot intentionally expose myself to things that will only make my pain worse.TechCrunch reported that Twitter's accessibility team consisted of paid volunteers who would work on accessibility projects in addition to their regular jobs. Twitter established two dedicated accessibility teams in September. This was just a few months after Twitter released its audio tweet feature. Experts agree that it is essential to include disabled people in design decisions when implementing new features.They gave a great talk about how they would change it, that they were going more to incorporate accessibility and disabled perspectives into their design processes. However, Haagaard said that they did not do a satisfactory job. In the design and conceptualization phases, it would be difficult for designers to engage people from the disabled community as consultants.Twitter informed TechCrunch that they sought feedback from disabled people throughout the entire process. We understand that people have different needs and preferences so we will continue to monitor feedback and improve the experience. We are aware that we can get more feedback and will continue to work on it.Display bugs are currently being reported. Please send us a screenshot. This will allow us to troubleshoot the issue. If you experience pain in your eyes, headaches, or migraines due to the font, please contact us again. Twitter Accessibility (@TwitterA11y August 12, 2021Twitter's accessibility account acknowledged that some users had reported eye strain and migraines following the update. The platform stated that it has made contrast adjustments to all buttons in response to user feedback.Matt May, Adobe's head of Inclusive design, stated that when a design agency makes an announcement and the accessibility organization beside it has something to say, it means that they work together. It is important to listen to the people who are not being represented and to try to integrate them into the rest of the system.Twitter users can now upload videos to the site, adding captions. Twitter Spaces supports live captioning, which is a significant improvement over competitors such as Clubhouse. May notes that an update like this will undoubtedly draw more criticism. But, behind the scenes, Twitter Spaces is doing important accessibility work that often slips under the radar. For instance, you can upload SRT files to videos which add captions.Twitter has a history in offering customization options elsewhere in its user interface, so it is odd that the company did not add customization capabilities to its higher-contrast display. Users can now toggle between dark, light, and dim modes. They can also change the size of their default font to be larger or smaller. Twitter's accessibility panel allows users to set a higher contrast mode even before this week's update. Experts point out that there is no way to change the font or reduce contrast on Twitter. Twitter launched Chirp, its first proprietary typeface. However, users found the font more difficult than Helvetica (which Twitter used before Chirp).Shawn Lawton Henry, a researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and editor of the WCAG guidelines, believes that customization options should be available for users to switch between fonts, contrast levels, and other settings. Henry states that although WCAG does not require it, future updates to the guidelines will include recommendations for websites that allow users to adjust contrast.The key issue is that default contrast must [meet the WCAG standard] and users should have the ability to modify it. Henry agreed. While it is fine to use a default font, you must make it customisable. It would be important that people can change the font, even if it is the most easily readable.Twitter spokesperson, when asked about the possibility of users being able to adjust typefaces or contrast levels, stated that they had no plans to do so right now but are always open to suggestions and taking feedback into consideration.Part of the problem is that they are framing it as accessibility, but it's also very clear that it was about branding identity, Haagaard stated.Some users may override website settings using USS (User style Sheets), but Henry's research for World Wide Web Consortium found that web browsers and ebook readers provide the user with the ability to modify these settings more easily. Users may not be tech-savvy enough for USS writing, so it is easier to navigate among accessibility settings specific to an application. Discord, for instance, added a saturation slider to its accessibility settings in June.Henry stated that the beauty of the internet is its ability to be changed, unlike paper.
