Recent decisions of broadband video thread haven't addressed the gross lack of accommodation for the hearing impaired that services like Netflix Watch Instantly represent. Cross-posting this from a television-related forum I participate in....
While the software technically supports Closed Captioning, the content offered by the service very often does not [link], essentially treating this protected class of disabled persons as second-class consumers.
A company should be allowed to do what is best for its bottom-line, except when it represents a safety or security concern, or violates the civil rights granted to citizens by our laws - specifically relevant in this case, the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires, "functionally equivalent services for consumers with disabilities, notably those who are deaf or hard of hearing ..." While it is perhaps understandable to develop new technology without accomplishing full compliance with this law, at some point, the avoidance become just an unforgivable delaying tactic.
This isn't a matter of consumers wanting to pay less for something. There is no real validity in such selfish claims. This is a matter of American citizens granted rights by law, and having those rights effectively ignored. Given how much (hearing) consumers place such demands on suppliers that are not reflections of the law (as discussed in many threads in this forum), it is dismaying that such concerns seem to have more primacy than issues that are truly matters of our society's consensus decision.
Netflix is slowly enabling CC for TV and movies on their PC/Mac players and have a planned fall release for other devices, but the keyword there is "slowly". What is Netflix doing to provide closed captioning for all content brought into the system over the last few years, and going forward? How much longer will Netflix be sanguine and nothing more than apologetic about marginalizing a legally-recognized protected class?
This is especially troubling in light of how some suppliers are now asking for yet-even-more of a delay before they're required to comply, and for "flexibility" which if not clearly defined in advance (which they are unwilling to do) could mean failing to effectively address this legally-mandated obligation. These calls, if granted, could delay the provision of Closed Captions via broadband video (such as Hulu and Netflix Watch Instantly), thereby leaving deaf and hearing impaired folks behind, as our television entertainment industry moves from the current over-the-air, cable and satellite arrangement to a more Internet-based arrangement. [[URL="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/453600-Cable_Ops_Seek_Time_Flexibility_to_Improve_Online_Access_for_Disabled.php"]link]
While the software technically supports Closed Captioning, the content offered by the service very often does not [link], essentially treating this protected class of disabled persons as second-class consumers.
A company should be allowed to do what is best for its bottom-line, except when it represents a safety or security concern, or violates the civil rights granted to citizens by our laws - specifically relevant in this case, the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires, "functionally equivalent services for consumers with disabilities, notably those who are deaf or hard of hearing ..." While it is perhaps understandable to develop new technology without accomplishing full compliance with this law, at some point, the avoidance become just an unforgivable delaying tactic.
This isn't a matter of consumers wanting to pay less for something. There is no real validity in such selfish claims. This is a matter of American citizens granted rights by law, and having those rights effectively ignored. Given how much (hearing) consumers place such demands on suppliers that are not reflections of the law (as discussed in many threads in this forum), it is dismaying that such concerns seem to have more primacy than issues that are truly matters of our society's consensus decision.
Netflix is slowly enabling CC for TV and movies on their PC/Mac players and have a planned fall release for other devices, but the keyword there is "slowly". What is Netflix doing to provide closed captioning for all content brought into the system over the last few years, and going forward? How much longer will Netflix be sanguine and nothing more than apologetic about marginalizing a legally-recognized protected class?
This is especially troubling in light of how some suppliers are now asking for yet-even-more of a delay before they're required to comply, and for "flexibility" which if not clearly defined in advance (which they are unwilling to do) could mean failing to effectively address this legally-mandated obligation. These calls, if granted, could delay the provision of Closed Captions via broadband video (such as Hulu and Netflix Watch Instantly), thereby leaving deaf and hearing impaired folks behind, as our television entertainment industry moves from the current over-the-air, cable and satellite arrangement to a more Internet-based arrangement. [[URL="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/453600-Cable_Ops_Seek_Time_Flexibility_to_Improve_Online_Access_for_Disabled.php"]link]
As far as I know, none of the network sites are currently feeding CC, even though their software platforms may support it. 
