Thread by @cymbrygirl

Hello #a11y crowd!

I know that a lot of people have been following some comments I made regarding content/trigger warnings, so I figured I'd gather all my comments in a thread with some anecdotal best practices and food for thought for people who are interested. (1/20)

First off, I'm humbled by the number of #accessibility professionals who are following this conversation and taking my words so seriously. I meant my comment to be a one-off comment regarding better care and consideration in UX regarding mental health in/and digital #a11y. (2/20)

I'd also like to offer the reminder that while I have mental health and medical triggers related to #OCPD, #PTSD, and post-concussive syndrome, #disabled people are not a monolith and what others experience and what they need will be different. What I share is anecdotal. (3/20)

For those who wish to do more reading, I highly recommend U Michigan's page on content notices and trigger warnings, though I'll offer some highlights for those who don't have the time or energy to get through the content.
sites.lsa.umich.edu/inclusive-teac… (4/20)

Content warnings/notices are for alerting people to content that may be upsetting regardless of mental health status. While similar, trigger warnings are meant to prevent damage to those with anxiety disorders and conditions rooted in traumatic triggers like PTSD and DID. (5/20)

There are also non-mental health triggers related to conditions like migraines, concussions, epilepsy, and more. While I have epilepsy, I've only had stress-triggered seizures not flashing-triggered seizures. Yet movement or flickering can trigger my migraines still. (6/20)

I think a major point that people often misunderstand is that TWs aren't just to avoid content. In some cases, preparing for potential triggers can either prevent triggers or help people manage their symptoms while experiencing the trigger. The goal of a TW is user choice. (7/20)

With user choice as the central point of the #a11y behind CWs/TWs, the responsibility cannot rest solely upon the presenter -- regardless if the presentation is in person, virtual, or both. I attended two presentations at axe-con that offered great TWs which benefited me: (8/20)

@vlh offered periodic warnings for different types of movement that could cause medical triggers for neurological conditions like epilepsy, migraines, and more. I was impressed with and grateful for the thoroughness, and looked away to prevent a potential migraine trigger (9/20)

On the mental health side, @ericwbailey gave a provocative talk called "Be The Villain" (which I'm madly in love with) which had a thorough content warning at the beginning. Given the nature of the talk, constantly stopping to provide TWs would undercut the points made (10/20)

But TWs aren't just important for speakers. Much like graphic audiovisual content on social media, news websites, etc. is blurred and offers a warning, virtual presentations should be able to offer a warning before someone perceives potentially triggering video/audio/text (11/20)

In a world that's been forced to move digital for so much, TWs for digital content is not only an #accessibility concern but is also #HarmPrevention. In the #WCAG guidelines we talk about respecting non-interference, and I feel like TWs directly align with this philosophy (12/20)

If we wanted to demo an example of flickering that failed 2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold for educational purposes, we'd make a point to warn before subjecting someone to a potential trigger. This is pretty straightforward, so why shouldn't it be for #MentalHealth? (13/20)

Of course, clearly the vast majority of the #a11y community cares very deeply about this (understandably...I love this field!) -- it just appears that there isn't a great deal of information out there for those who want to learn more about the topic and best practices (14/20)

One question that keeps getting asked is "What is a list of triggers or content warnings I need to be aware of?" While there are certainly lists out there, I'd argue that's the wrong question. While there are common triggers, there are better ways to cover the bases (15/20)

I liken it to food allergies and intolerances. There are common allergies like soy, wheat, and shellfish, but there are also rarer allergies or conditions that require alternative diets like low-histamine which is limiting and not restrictive. An "Other" box is best here (16/20)

I see this in action on Facebook, where I'm in 10+ groups which all have customized, growing content warning lists based on the space involved. #Disability groups are especially comprehensive given the history of medical trauma experienced by most #disabled individuals. (17/20)

So how would I do it? If I were to design a conference, I would add a form with anonymous submissions and responses where people can check off common triggers and include any additional triggers. IMO it's not any one individual to know all triggers -- that's too much. (18/20)

I would put a warning directly between the user and any potential trigger-causing content (text, video, and/or audio). Further, I'd have an automated email that can warn those who submitted triggers about potentially triggering talks. This is overly cautious, but why not? (19/20)

While I offered a potential solution, this is for one use case in a much larger and nuanced issue. Like most cases pushing for #DisabilityInclusion, adding CWs/TWs into our event and classroom designs starts with discovery and the desire to do better. Now, it's time to iterate.