"Because Some Sighted People, They Don't Know What the Heck You're Talking About:" A Study of Blind TikTokers' Infrastructuring Work to Build Independence

TL;DR

This study explores how blind TikTokers actively work to overcome accessibility barriers on TikTok, using infrastructuring practices to build independence and community engagement.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the infrastructuring efforts of blind users on short-video platforms, highlighting their strategies for maintaining independence.

Findings

Blind TikTokers consider TikTok as infrastructure for their activities.

Participants experience accessibility breakdowns requiring infrastructuring work.

Infrastructuring is central to their sense of independence.

Abstract

There has been extensive research on the experiences of individuals with visual impairments on text- and image-based social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter. However, little is known about the experiences of visually impaired users on short-video platforms like TikTok. To bridge this gap, we conducted an interview study with 30 BlindTokers (the nickname of blind TikTokers). Our study aimed to explore the various activities of BlindTokers on TikTok, including everyday entertainment, professional development, and community engagement. The widespread usage of TikTok among participants demonstrated that they considered TikTok and its associated experiences as the infrastructure for their activities. Additionally, participants reported experiencing breakdowns in this infrastructure due to accessibility issues. They had to carry out infrastructuring work to resolve the breakdowns. Blind users' various practices on TikTok also foregrounded their perceptions of independence. We then discussed blind users' nuanced understanding of the TikTok-mediated independence; we also critically examined BlindTokers' infrastructuring work for such independence.