FCC votes to require captioning on more Internet videos

All five FCC commissioners voted today to expand the category of online video requiring closed captioning.

The ruling is somewhat narrow: websites must offer closed captioning with video clips that have already been captioned on TV. Exceptions would be, for instance, YouTube clips or Netflix videos that were never on TV.

However, expect similar expansions in the future. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said, “This is just the beginning of dealing with our responsibility to make sure that individuals with special needs are at the front of the technology train – not the back.”

Speed Matters supports this, and similar, rulings.

FCC Expands Online Closed Captioning Rules (National Journal, Jul. 11, 2014)