With over 30 million UK registered users, Facebook is by far the most popular social networking site on the World Wide Web.
I and many of my friends who are blind or partially sighted access Facebook on a day to day basis. So be assured, whether you are a screen reader user or a magnification user, Facebook can be accessible for you.
This article contains a few hints and tips about how to access Facebook, some first hand accounts from visually impaired Facebook users and also some links containing further information on various related topics.
Got an accessibility enquiry?
Facebook has its own accessibility page where you can go to find answers to questions you might have or to research how different features operate with screen readers like JAWS. Visit the Facebook accessibility page.
Accessible Images
Making images accessible may seem tricky, but if you put a caption on the photograph there is an audio description available for someone to gain an insight into what the picture is displaying rather than leaving the caption blank.
Access Facebook mobile on a computer
Facebook has a version which is designed for mobile phones. Each screen contains a small amount of information, and it's mainly just text and links. This makes it easy to navigate with a screen reader or magnifier. Try out the Facebook mobile site.
Increase and decreasing font size
It is possible to zoom into the screen to enlarge the text and pictures on the site without using any using any specialist software.
The process for zooming in and out is the same for most browsers:
-
Hold the Ctrl or Cmd key and press the minus (-) key to reduce size
-
Hold the Ctrl or Cmd key and press the plus (+) key to increase size
Online Tutorials
There were some tutorials for Internet Explorer users on the Stacy Bleeks site, but in October 2012 we found the site was no longer active. If you know of any tutorials for keyboard users, please let us know and we will add them here.
Short cuts for Keyboard only users
The following short cuts are browser specific so be sure to know which browser you are accessing Facebook on first.
Follow the reference list below for which short cuts are relevant for the browser you use:
Internet Explorer: Alt + #, then Enter
Firefox for PC: Shift + Alt + #
Safari for Mac: Ctrl + #
Firefox for Mac: Ctrl + #
Chrome: Ctrl + Alt + #
Once you are certain of the browser you are using you can match the short cuts up to these numbers to access the different areas of the site via your keyboard. For example, if you were using Firefox in Windows and wanted to go to the Facebook Home you could press Alt + Shift + 1.
Please note if you are using Internet Explorer, after pressing Alt + # let go of both keys and press Enter for the shortcut to work. For example, press Alt + 1, let go and then press Enter to open the Facebook home page.
0 - Facebook help centre
1 - Home page
2 - Your profile (Timeline)
3 - Friend Requests
4 - Inbox
5 - Notifications
6 - Account Settings
7 - Privacy
8 - About Facebook.
9 - Facebook terms/agreement
It is also important to note that the above shortcut keys only work with the numbers on the top of your keyboard, not the number pad.
Facebook Mobile
There is little information on the internet regarding Facebook mobile accessibility but it is sometimes a prefered method of accessing the sight for blind and visually impaired people as it is less 'messy' than the browser version. As an iPhone user I find the Facebook application works well with both the inbuilt voice and zooming features on the device.
As well as downloading an application it is also possible to access the Facebook site from the web browser within your phone. If anyone has any suggestions and advice for accessing Facebook mobile on other platforms then please get in touch.
If you have difficulty accessing Facebook mobile applications then you can view a recent article regarding reports that the Facebook mobile application can be inconsistent when trying to work with voice over software. View the report on Facebook mobile accesibility.
Or view this page for additional general information on Facebook mobile.
Blind and Visually Impaired Facebook users
Here is what some blind and visually impaired Facebook users have to say about how they access the site:
BR says "Well the main way that I access Facebook is by using the Facebook iPhone app, as I find it extremely easy even using VoiceOver. The other way that I access Facebook is via JAWS. When I'm using JAWS to access Facebook, I use a lot of the JAWS hotkeys, such as "E" to skip between all the edit boxes or "H" to skip through all the webpage headings. Other than that I navigate through the site using the up and down arrows on the keyboard. I know people say Facebook isn't accessible but in my opinion it is, you've just got to get used to the way you need to work around it"
LM says "From my experience of Facebook as a Supernova user it is not always the easiest social network site to use. The columns which appear in posts are difficult to navigate through and also Supernova does not read out text including as a picture caption. I understand that other screen readers work better with Facebook but have not had a chance to access them. Other social networking sites such as twitter and MSN do not use this format and are therefore easier for me to use."
HS says "I first joined Facebook in 2009, and go on it regularly. I use the mobile version of it because I find it much more accessible. I navigate Facebook using the Supernova screen reader. When I first joined Facebook, I was able to navigate the normal page without too much difficulty, but within a few months it became impossible to use due to layout changes. For instance, I wasn't able to send friend requests independently, because my screen reader wouldn't click on the link. I found this very frustrating, because at that time I was still quite new to Facebook; so was still finding people I wanted to add. At first, I found the layout a little confusing to navigate because there was a lot of unnecessary information to get round, such as adverts and pictures. However, with practice it didn't take me long to understand how it worked.
"When the normal Facebook page became too inaccessible to use, I didn't go on it for a while because I knew I wouldn't be able to navigate it properly. At that point, I wasn't aware that the mobile version existed, and therefore wasn't able to keep in touch with my friends. This frustrated me as I enjoyed finding out what they'd been doing. I couldn't write to my friends either, because the screen reader would not go down to the correct box to type in; as the page had become too cluttered with pictures and similar obstacles.
"I found out about the mobile version through a friend, who had been using it herself; and therefore recommended it to me. From the first time I went on it, I had a much better experience. Overall, the mobile Facebook page is a lot simpler to navigate than the main page, and doesn't include the pictures and adverts that the main page does. It is possible to do almost everything that the main page allows; except use the chat feature. However, as I don't use this aspect of Facebook; this doesn't bother me and I find that the mobile site is enough to satisfy my needs. The reason I don't use the chat feature is because I prefer to keep in contact with my friends by sending messages to them instead. I may consider using the chat feature on the main Facebook page if it was made accessible, though. I can also send friend requests independently on the mobile Facebook page, too. Although the layout has changed a little on the mobile site over time, it isn't enough to make it inaccessible and I still find it easy to use.
"This is the way I currently use Facebook, and plan to continue accessing it in this way for the foreseeable future. I may return to using the main page again if it became accessible, but for now I am happy using the mobile Facebook page. This is because I have got used to its layout and can navigate it successfully."
Got a suggestion?
We want to hear from you, our users. Which apps and websites should we be writing about on the TechKnowMore blog? Is there an app you can no longer live without? What website is at the top of your favourites list? Drop us an email on DigitalAccess@rnib.org.uk to let us know, and your favourite service could be featured in the very near future!