A pivotal class action lawsuit demanding comprehensive **captioning and accessibility solutions** for deaf and hard of hearing users on a major global content platform.
In late 2024, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and several individual plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit against TikTok Inc., alleging that the popular video sharing platform failed to provide captions for millions of videos, excluding deaf and hard of hearing users from full participation on the app.
The plaintiffs argued that TikTok violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covering public accommodations (apps and websites), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, for failing to provide equal access, and State level accessibility and consumer protection laws. The lawsuit was filed in December 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
The core violation centered on the lack of reliable and ubiquitous captioning for video content, a fundamental requirement for equal access for the deaf and hard of hearing community.
In mid 2025, TikTok reached a confidential settlement agreement, mandating fundamental accessibility changes across its global platform.
TikTok agreed to launch a platform wide captioning system by default for all videos. Introduce AI powered live captioning for real time streams. Conduct accessibility audits every six months for both app and web interfaces. Create a Disability Inclusion Council to review platform policies.
SOCIAL MEDIA
ACCESSIBILITY
Focuses on content platform compliance and video accessibility.
This case was pivotal for **social media accessibility**, proving that even tech giants are not exempt from ADA compliance. The NAD v. TikTok case drove global awareness about digital inclusion and set a precedent for all major content platforms that host video and live content: accessibility for the deaf and hard of hearing is a mandatory feature, not an optional extra.