Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
Accessible Social Media
To ensure social media content is accessible for people with disabilities, federal agencies must follow Section 508 standards. This includes using alt text for images, emojis, captions for videos, accessible color contrasts, and plain language.
Each of the platforms commonly used by the Federal government has specific guidelines to ensure that images, videos, and GIFs are accessible. These measures aim to make digital information inclusive for all users.
Learn How to Post Accessible Social MediaOur Mission
On January 18, 2017, the U.S. Access Board published a final rule updating accessibility requirements for information and communication technology (ICT) covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Communications Act.
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP) is tasked under this law to provide technical assistance to help Federal agencies comply with these requirements, and ensure that covered ICT is accessible to, and usable by, individuals with disabilities.