I received the following message this morning, from Victoria Zigler, who is a registered blind writer and uses Facebook.
Hi Chris,
I wondered if you could post the following to make people aware of the issue:
“I noticed recently that Facebook started having background options for posts.
When you create a post on Facebook, it has an option for you to pick a background colour. When I say “create a post” I mean write a post directly on Facebook, on your timeline/wall or in that “What’s on your mind?” box. You can pick it like you can pick your feeling or activity.
This was fine at first, because my screen readers – both JAWS (my computer one) and Voice Over (my iPhone one) were happy to just tell me the background existed and which style had been chosen, and then read the text to me. Voice Over especially was good about this, since it likes Facebook better than JAWS does. Anyway, at that point I had no problems with them. Even used them a few times myself.
However, Facebook must have fiddled with the feature or something, because now it won’t tell me what the background is. Worse, it won’t tell me what the person’s post says. I just get a message saying, “Awesome text background,” and nothing else.
I’m letting people know so they’re aware that this can cause problems for blind people following their social media. If people who read this continue to use the backgrounds even with this knowledge, that’s fine. It’s their choice. Just be aware it means I won’t be reacting to – or potentially commenting on – the posts in question, since I’ll have to use the same rule I use for images: if I don’t know what it is, I don’t react or respond to it.”
Thanks,
Tori
Since I’d never made a post directly onto Facebook, I decided to check it out, to see what the problem might be.
For anyone who wasn’t aware, see the three screenshots below, of the process (example now deleted):
Click on the blank comment box to see the options available
Click on the small coloured icons to select the background you want
Add your comment and press Publish (in this example I just added an emoji)
Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog 
Hmm…forgive me if I’m being a conspiracy theorist, but it struck me that this ‘innovation’ by FB could be used to place ‘push’ material in the background, such as ads. As someone who deleted her Facebook account after the Cambridge Analytica debacle, I wouldn’t trust Zuckerberg as far as I could throw him. Hope it gets sorted quickly.
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Yes, Facebook do like their ads…
Anyway, thanks for commenting.
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🙂
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mmm – subliminal adverts? – Others have done it in the past, Meeks
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Meh…so it’s not so fanciful after all. 😦
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This is interesting. I had no idea of these problems. I don’t suppose many people do l thank you for bringing it to our attention.
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Welcome, Viv 😃
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You’re welcome.
No, I don’t suppose many people would think about it. It’s one of those things you probably wouldn’t think about unless it’s brought to your attention, or is an issue someone you know deals with. Like the rise in the use of infographics (which wouldn’t be so bad if people remembered to also use proper picture labels, or add a text only version in the post).
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Reblogged this on Plaisted Publishing House and commented:
Thanks Chris and Victoria …It is good to know and I will now amend certain posts…which include Blind Writers
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Thanks for sharing, Claire 😃
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Thank you, Claire. Very much appreciated!
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Always welcome Victoria
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It’s so important to keep things as accessible as possible. It’s appalling that FB developers didn’t catch this issue before rolling it out.
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I agree!
Thanks for your comment.
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Thanks for sharing, Victoria and Chris. Good to know for all of us who want to be as inclusive as possible. 🙂
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You’re welcome! That was my aim: to make sure those who wanted to make sure their readers could be included – regardless of disabilities or capabilities – knew of the issue. 🙂
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Much appreciated. 😀
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Kind of defeats the object of being sociable on social media, doesn’t it? Seems like FB haven’t thought of everything, or else they just don’t care. Thanks for letting us know.
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Welcome, Ali 😃
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You’re welcome! Yes, it does sort of defeat the object of being social on social media.
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Hope they straighten this out, Victoria
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Me too!
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Thanks for helping me to spread the word, Chris.
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Welcome, Tori
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Good to know. Why must everyone mess with settings all the time ( old lady sighs and hobbles away…)
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I have no idea. I wish they wouldn’t though. If it works fine as it is, they should just leave it alone. Look what happens when they don’t…
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As a fellow JAWS user, I was really sorry to read about the problems you are having with Facebook, Tori. I must confess to not liking Facebook (despite maintaining a Facebook account), however that is no excuse for the website not being fully accessible. Have you contacted Facebook to flag up the difficulties you are experiencing? It could well be that they are unaware that their change is causing problems and (once alerted to the fact that it is doing so they will, hopefully rectify matters).
Best – Kevin
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Thanks, Kevin.
I’m working on attempting to communicate the issue to Facebook. We’ll see if it achieves anything though.
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Tell me about it… Hrmph!
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Agreed, Sue (old ape nods off, wakes up again and knuckles slowly back to his favourite tree) 😄
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😉
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