TikTok Highlights Creators Uplifting the Deaf Community

TikTok is proud to have a diverse and vibrant community of creators who share their passions with the world. They strive to create an inclusive environment where people feel empowered to share inspiring moments and fully express themselves.

To ensure accessibility for everyone, TikTok has invested in products and tools. In recognition of Deaf Awareness Month, they are highlighting the creators who uplift the deaf community on TikTok. They also encourage the entire community to make their videos more accessible by using the auto captions feature.

There are many inspiring creators on TikTok advocating for the deaf and hard of hearing community. They educate others about daily life and share American Sign Language (ASL) phrases, reaching millions of users. The hashtag #DeafTikTok has garnered over 245 million views this year.

Let's take a closer look at three creators who have become a source of inspiration for others:

@bree.k.jones (Bree Jones): Bree is an ASL interpreter, producer, and writer. She is passionate about educating the hearing world about the culture and language of the deaf community.
@scarlet_may.1 (Scarlet May): Scarlet is a 20-year-old deaf creator who makes videos ranging from comedy to educating about the deaf community and ASL covers. She has amassed a following of 4.4 million on TikTok.
@slntwrlddd (Otis Jones): Otis is a creator from Atlanta, GA. He teaches ASL classes and advocates for hearing people to learn ASL with respect and courtesy for the deaf community.

To make TikTok more accessible, they introduced auto captions earlier this year. Auto captions generate subtitles, allowing viewers to read or listen to content. They encourage all creators to add auto captions to their videos to provide a better experience for deaf and hard of hearing users.

They also collaborate with external experts and organizations, such as the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), to ensure inclusivity and accessibility. The NAD appreciates TikTok's commitment to elevating inclusion and accessibility for the deaf and hard of hearing community.

By making content more accessible, TikTok can reach a larger audience and empower people to freely express themselves and engage with their community. TikTok is dedicated to serving everyone in their community and will continue to improve accessibility. Stay tuned for more updates on their accessibility improvements.