Overview of autoplay and video accessibility in social media
Autoplay is a serious accessibility issue. We tested whether videos autoplayed on social media, as well as whether it was possible to turn off this feature. In addition, we tested whether the video could be paused by the mouse, keyboard and touch.
| YouTube | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No autoplay | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail |
| Autoplay in settings | Pass | Fail | Pass | Fail | Pass | Fail |
| Video can be paused | Pass | Fail | Pass | Fail | Fail | Pass |
Turning off autoplay – Desktop
- Arrow in top right hand corner
- Settings
- Videos in the left hand side
- AutoPlay (default, on and off)
Instagram – doesn’t autoplay on desktop
- Select profile icon
- Settings & Privacy under Account
- Account tab
- Site preferences
- Autoplay videos
Pinterest – unable to turn off
- Profile page
- More in left hand navigation
- Settings and privacy
- Accessibility under Motion
- Video autoplay (can choose On cellular or wifi and never)
YouTube (can only turn off autoplaying another video on finishing the first video)
- Choose a video
- To the right of the video there is a toggle to turn off autoplay
Turning off autoplay – iOS
- Hamburger menu in bottom right
- Settings & Privacy
- Settings
- Videos & Photos (under Media and Contacts)
- AutoPlay on mobile data and wifi connections, on wifi connections only and never)
Instagram – only turns off autoplay when using mobile or cellular data
- Profile page
- Hamburger menu in top right
- Settings
- Account
- Cellular Data Use / Mobile Data Use
- Profile page
- Settings icon
- Account – Autoplay videos
- Profile page
- Profile icon in the top left
- Settings icon
- Privacy & data
- Autoplay videos on cellular data (can then disable autoplay videos on wifi)
- Profile icon in the top left hand corner
- Settings and privacy
- Accessibility
- Video autoplay (can choose Mobile data & wifi, wifi only and never)
YouTube (can only turn off autoplaying another video on finishing the first video)
- Profile icon in top-right
- Settings
- Autoplay
Turning off autoplay – Android
- Hamburger menu in top right
- Settings & Privacy
- Settings
- Media & Contacts
- AutoPlay on mobile data and wifi connections, on wifi connections only and never)
Instagram – only turns off autoplay when using mobile or cellular data
- Profile page
- Hamburger menu in top right
- Settings
- Account
- Cellular Data Use / Mobile Data Use
- Profile page
- Settings icon
- Account – Autoplay videos
- Profile page
- Profile icon in the top left
- Settings icon
- Edit Settings
- Autoplay videos on cellular data (can then disable autoplay videos on wifi
- Profile icon in the top left hand corner
- Settings and privacy
- Accessibility
- Video autoplay (can choose Mobile data & wifi, wifi only and never)
YouTube (can only turn off autoplaying another video on finishing the first video)
- Profile icon in top-right
- Settings
- Autoplay
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