Facebook boosts accessibility with scalable font sizes, screen reader changes

The social network adds a handful of new features to its site to make it easier for people with disabilities to navigate.

Abrar Al-Heeti Technology Reporter

Abrar Al-Heeti is a technology reporter for CNET, with an interest in phones, streaming, internet trends, entertainment, pop culture and digital accessibility. She's also worked for CNET's video, culture and news teams. She graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Though Illinois is home, she now loves San Francisco -- steep inclines and all.

Expertise Abrar has spent her career at CNET analyzing tech trends while also writing news, reviews and commentaries across mobile, streaming and online culture. Credentials

Named a Tech Media Trailblazer by the Consumer Technology Association in 2019, a winner of SPJ NorCal's Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2022 and has three times been a finalist in the LA Press Club's National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.

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Abrar Al-Heeti

July 30, 2020 9:01 a.m. PT

accessibility-hero-copy — Facebook is adding new accessibility features.
Facebook

Facebook on Thursday unveiled a new set of features designed to improve accessibility on its site, including scalable font sizes and contextual headings. The additions come following the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as many organizations shine a light on the need for greater tech accessibility.

Among Facebook's site changes, scalable font sizes will make it easier for users with impaired vision to read text across a page. The social network also rolled out changes to headings, which allow people using screen readers to better navigate and understand a page's structure. Now those users are presented with a clearer layout that makes that navigation easier.

Facebook has also added screen reader announcements that inform someone when their action, such as posting a comment or sending a message, was successful.

"Though we recognize there is still more work to be done, we are committed to providing users with disabilities a great experience," Facebook said in a blog post. "We have built a solid technical foundation to make it possible to raise the ceiling of accessibility support."

Going forward, the company said it's focused on improving the keyboard experience as well as its automated alt text system, which provides text descriptions of photos using object recognition technology.