Good morning @nationsblind @AccessOn and @jonathanmos I hope everyone there is having a wonderful week.
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Good morning @nationsblind @AccessOn and @jonathanmos I hope everyone there is having a wonderful week. I wanted to reach out and see if there has been an effort to work with Meta on the accessibility of the Threads web and mobile apps. Threads is now the number 3 free app in the app store, and it is practically unusable with VoiceOver. I know some users find ways around these problems or use the web, but I was curious if any work has been done in this area. Have a wonderful day.
@mikedoise @nationsblind Hi michael, thank you for this valuable feedback.
This hasn’t been drawn to our attention before, but we’ll make a point of evaluating and discussing with Meta. Much appreciated. -
@mikedoise @nationsblind Hi michael, thank you for this valuable feedback.
This hasn’t been drawn to our attention before, but we’ll make a point of evaluating and discussing with Meta. Much appreciated.@AccessOn @nationsblind I am very glad that you are looking into this. Please let me know if I can help in any way. I know there are others here on Mastodon who use Threads as well. I'm sure there are enough of us out there to give feedback that Meta can use.
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@AccessOn @nationsblind I am very glad that you are looking into this. Please let me know if I can help in any way. I know there are others here on Mastodon who use Threads as well. I'm sure there are enough of us out there to give feedback that Meta can use.
@mikedoise @nationsblind Thank you, any specific bugs and steps to reproduce would be very helpful.
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@mikedoise @nationsblind Thank you, any specific bugs and steps to reproduce would be very helpful.
@AccessOn @nationsblind I have seen that selecting the different tabs in the app does not work with VoiceOver, so flicking to each tab and double tapping does not select each tab, each post is seperate items instead of one accessibility element with voiceOver actions, so you will have to flick to the title, timestamp, post data, and then each button in each post. I think there are many more issues, but those are the main items I can name from memory.
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@mikedoise @nationsblind Hi michael, thank you for this valuable feedback.
This hasn’t been drawn to our attention before, but we’ll make a point of evaluating and discussing with Meta. Much appreciated.This is more urgent than UI bugs - Meta's systems are systematically suspending blind users from Threads for using assistive technology.
I've been trying to access Threads for 3 days. Every account gets suspended within hours, regardless of which screen reader or browser I use. This is what happened: -
@AccessOn @nationsblind I am very glad that you are looking into this. Please let me know if I can help in any way. I know there are others here on Mastodon who use Threads as well. I'm sure there are enough of us out there to give feedback that Meta can use.
@mikedoise January 19: Tried to access Threads with my Instagram (taylorarndt22). Immediately suspended, required CAPTCHA. Audio CAPTCHA was there but didn't work properly with VoiceOver - kept saying "incorrect" even when I typed it right. Got sighted help to pass it, then required selfie. Uploaded legitimate photo.
One hour later: "This account has been permanently disabled for being fake."
I'm not fake. I'm Meta Verified. -
@mikedoise @nationsblind Hi michael, thank you for this valuable feedback.
This hasn’t been drawn to our attention before, but we’ll make a point of evaluating and discussing with Meta. Much appreciated.@AccessOn @mikedoise @nationsblind Later January 19: Created taylor.e.arndt thinking maybe I'd start fresh since that old 2021 account wasn't really me anymore anyway. Same verification process, same CAPTCHA issues. Suspended within 2 hours.
I appealed and got back in. Next morning (Jan 20) around 8:30am: Suspended again. Permanently. "You cannot appeal anymore."
Spent all day trying to find solutions. -
@AccessOn @nationsblind I have seen that selecting the different tabs in the app does not work with VoiceOver, so flicking to each tab and double tapping does not select each tab, each post is seperate items instead of one accessibility element with voiceOver actions, so you will have to flick to the title, timestamp, post data, and then each button in each post. I think there are many more issues, but those are the main items I can name from memory.
@mikedoise @AccessOn @nationsblind Later January 19: Created taylor.e.arndt thinking maybe I'd start fresh since that old 2021 account wasn't really me anymore anyway. Same verification process, same CAPTCHA issues. Suspended within 2 hours.
I appealed and got back in. Next morning (Jan 20) around 8:30am: Suspended again. Permanently. "You cannot appeal anymore."
Spent all day trying to find solutions. -
@AccessOn @nationsblind I have seen that selecting the different tabs in the app does not work with VoiceOver, so flicking to each tab and double tapping does not select each tab, each post is seperate items instead of one accessibility element with voiceOver actions, so you will have to flick to the title, timestamp, post data, and then each button in each post. I think there are many more issues, but those are the main items I can name from memory.
@mikedoise January 20 evening: Contacted Meta Verified support, explained everything. Their recommendation? Create ANOTHER account. They specifically told me to use NVDA with Firefox instead of VoiceOver with Safari - thought maybe different assistive technology wouldn't trigger their systems.
So I created taylorarndttech following their exact instructions last night. -
@mikedoise @AccessOn @nationsblind Later January 19: Created taylor.e.arndt thinking maybe I'd start fresh since that old 2021 account wasn't really me anymore anyway. Same verification process, same CAPTCHA issues. Suspended within 2 hours.
I appealed and got back in. Next morning (Jan 20) around 8:30am: Suspended again. Permanently. "You cannot appeal anymore."
Spent all day trying to find solutions.@mikedoise January 21 (this morning): Set up taylorarndttech profile using Firefox + NVDA like Meta support told me. Followed 2-3 people carefully. Posted no content.
Within hours: Suspended AGAIN for "Our technology found that your account doesn't meet our Community Standards."
Contacted Meta support again today. Agent said they can't help, can't work across teams, told me to report through Instagram. -
@AccessOn @nationsblind I have seen that selecting the different tabs in the app does not work with VoiceOver, so flicking to each tab and double tapping does not select each tab, each post is seperate items instead of one accessibility element with voiceOver actions, so you will have to flick to the title, timestamp, post data, and then each button in each post. I think there are many more issues, but those are the main items I can name from memory.
@mikedoise The pattern is clear: Meta's automated systems are flagging assistive technology usage as violations - "fake account," "account integrity," "Community Standards."
This happens regardless of:
• Browser (Safari vs Firefox)
• Screen reader (VoiceOver vs NVDA)
• Following Meta support instructions exactly
• Being Meta Verified
• Professional credentials (I'm COO at Techopolis LLC, iOS developer) -
@AccessOn @nationsblind I have seen that selecting the different tabs in the app does not work with VoiceOver, so flicking to each tab and double tapping does not select each tab, each post is seperate items instead of one accessibility element with voiceOver actions, so you will have to flick to the title, timestamp, post data, and then each button in each post. I think there are many more issues, but those are the main items I can name from memory.
@mikedoise The impossible loop: Meta support tells you to create a new account → Their systems immediately suspend it → Appeals require inaccessible CAPTCHAs → Support says they can't help.
I really think this is about screen readers because I know others who haven't had this problem. Their automated systems seem to flag screen reader navigation patterns as bot behavior. -
@AccessOn @nationsblind I have seen that selecting the different tabs in the app does not work with VoiceOver, so flicking to each tab and double tapping does not select each tab, each post is seperate items instead of one accessibility element with voiceOver actions, so you will have to flick to the title, timestamp, post data, and then each button in each post. I think there are many more issues, but those are the main items I can name from memory.
@mikedoise @AccessOn @nationsblind same thing with actions on android, no app that metta makes has them, I don't know if the issue with the tabs is there on android
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This is more urgent than UI bugs - Meta's systems are systematically suspending blind users from Threads for using assistive technology.
I've been trying to access Threads for 3 days. Every account gets suspended within hours, regardless of which screen reader or browser I use. This is what happened: -
@mikedoise January 19: Tried to access Threads with my Instagram (taylorarndt22). Immediately suspended, required CAPTCHA. Audio CAPTCHA was there but didn't work properly with VoiceOver - kept saying "incorrect" even when I typed it right. Got sighted help to pass it, then required selfie. Uploaded legitimate photo.
One hour later: "This account has been permanently disabled for being fake."
I'm not fake. I'm Meta Verified.@tayarndt @mikedoise OK wow I've never known Threads/IG to do that, WTF Meta!
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