'Twitter's layoffs are a blow to accessibility'

Tori_Scope

Wired: Twitter’s Layoffs Are a Blow to Accessibility

The company recently took major steps to make the platform more inclusive after pressure from disabled users. Then Elon Musk gutted its accessibility team.

After acquiring the company and slashing his staff, Elon Musk gutted formerly high-priority projects. He wiped out an entire group of artificial intelligence researchers. Additional cuts left the site’s content moderation manned by a skeleton crew. Another casualty? A small but vital group working to make Twitter more accessible. Without this team, Twitter users who have relied on accessibility tools worry that they’re losing a valuable online home for their communities. 

Even if another network with superior accessibility features emerges, the sting of losing a gathering place will remain. “I’m really sad my community is gone,” Kim says. 

Over to you...

Do you think Elon Musk is justified in his decision?

Can you think of another example of where accessibility has been deprioritised on a digital platform?

Do you use Twitter? Have you noticed any changes?

woodbine

I don't use twitter I prefer facebook for all it's faults, you have to wonder why Musk thought twitter was a wise spend at £38 billion ?

Cartini

I don`t use Twitter (I usually replace the i with an a, but that will be removed); Musk owns it, he can do what he wants (within the legal framework).