Accessibility in Social Media : Facebook and the Older Adult

Sammanfattning: In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the percentage of seniors using social media, yet few studies have been conducted to understand the challenges underlying social network utilisation by seniors. By understanding what motivates seniors to use social media, the difficulties they encounter while using them and what would be an inclusive social media from their perspective is paramount for designing inclusive user interfaces that suit this growing population. This study explores the accessibility challenges faced by older adults, specifically those aged over sixty, when using social media platforms by focussing on Facebook as a case study. Through a heuristic evaluation and a user study this research assesses Facebook’s compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and specific usability issues faced by people over sixty. The focus is on understanding the barriers that hinder effective engagement of older adults on social media platforms. Our findings highlight significant areas where Facebook fails to meet accessibility standards, potentially leading to digital exclusion of the elderly. The study also discusses the broader implications of these findings, emphasising the need for more inclusive design practices in social media platforms to accommodate the diverse needs of older adults. This research seeks to contribute to the field of inclusive design and accessibility by providing insights into how social media platforms can become more accommodating and accessible to older users.