Red Flag Meme & Accessibility: Why It's Problematic

The Red Flag Meme and Accessibility Concerns

Recently, a popular trend on Twitter involves sharing the “red flag” meme – quoting a phrase considered undesirable and accompanying it with numerous red flag emojis. This meme has even been adopted by brands like Dr. Pepper, MTV, and the Houston Texans.

However, this visually-driven meme presents challenges for individuals who are blind or visually impaired and rely on screen readers and voiceover technology.

How the Meme is Experienced by Screen Reader Users

Steve Saylor, a blind Twitch gamer and accessibility advocate, explains that screen readers often misinterpret the meme. Instead of conveying the intended meaning of a warning sign, voiceover technology typically announces “triangular flag on a post,” which is the literal description of the emoji.

The repetition of emojis exacerbates the issue. Some screen readers will enumerate each individual “triangular flag on post” emoji, requiring listeners to hear the phrase dozens of times unless they manually scroll through the content.

The Importance of Meme Accessibility

Amy Pavel, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin researching tech accessibility, emphasizes the importance of understanding memes for social inclusion. Being able to participate in these conversations requires comprehension of the underlying meaning.

A study conducted by the Tej Kohli Foundation, analyzing 100,000 tweets, revealed that 10% of tweets containing emojis include more than three emojis, and 40% repeat emojis within the same tweet. The “face with tears of joy” emoji is repeated in 93% of its uses.

Best Practices for Emoji Usage

The Tej Kohli Foundation recommends placing emojis at the end of sentences, avoiding their use as word replacements, and limiting repetition to a maximum of three emojis.

Beyond the Red Flag Meme: Other Accessibility Issues

The discussion sparked by the red flag meme isn’t isolated. Accessibility issues with memes have been ongoing. The clapping hands meme, for example, can be difficult to follow as the screen reader announces “clapping hands” after each word.

Similarly, unconventional character usage to simulate different fonts and memes constructed from ASCII art, such as the “in this house” or “bunny holding a sign” memes, present challenges. These are read out character by character, often including characters from different alphabets like Cyrillic, Greek, or Kanji.

The Role of AI and Machine Learning

Pavel suggests that artificial intelligence and machine learning could be leveraged to identify common digital communication tropes and explain them in a more accessible manner. Instead of announcing each emoji, a screen reader could summarize the meme’s meaning.

However, this technology is still under development, so accessibility experts are currently focused on educating people about creating more inclusive memes.

Simple Steps for Increased Accessibility

Saylor stresses the importance of considering accessibility when creating memes. He advocates for adding alt text for screen readers or captions for videos to ensure wider enjoyment.

A practical workaround for emoji-based and ASCII art memes is to take a screenshot, post it as a photo, and then add descriptive alt text.

Adding Alt Text on Different Platforms

On Twitter, adding alt text is straightforward – an “add description” button appears after uploading an image. Instagram requires navigating to “advanced settings” and then “accessibility” to find the “write alt text” option.

The Need for Education and Awareness

Alexa Heinrich, a social media manager and accessibility advocate, points to a lack of knowledge and education among digital marketers and content creators regarding accessibility. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing that not everyone experiences the internet in the same way.

Twitter’s Accessibility Efforts

Heinrich and Saylor acknowledge Twitter as one of the more accessible social media platforms, though improvements are still needed. Twitter has established an accessibility team after previously relying on volunteer efforts.

Despite progress, Twitter has also introduced updates that negatively impacted accessibility. Heinrich believes platforms should better educate brands and marketers on creating accessible content.

Upcoming Feature: Alt Text Reminders

Twitter is currently developing a feature that will prompt users to add alt text before posting images without it. This feature is expected to be released by the end of the year.

Describing Memes Effectively

Even with knowledge of alt text, describing memes can be challenging. Simple memes like the Spider-Man pointing meme are easily described, but more complex ones require careful consideration.

Saylor advises focusing on the core message and context of the image, avoiding unnecessary details. Describing the subject and its relevance is often sufficient.

Accessibility is Individualized

Accessibility is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Pavel highlights that individual preferences vary, even among people with the same disability.

Customization and User Control

Pavel’s research on GIF accessibility revealed a desire for customization. Users want the option to choose how their screen reader interacts with GIFs, including access to both descriptive alt text and the original audio.

Prioritizing People Over Engagement

Ultimately, experts emphasize the importance of prioritizing accessibility over engagement metrics. Heinrich states that accessibility should be the primary concern, not the potential impact on numbers.

This means taking a moment to consider how content will be experienced by everyone, and making small changes that can have a significant impact on inclusivity.