jordansangalang.com

Category: Deaf Community

  • Protecting Kids Online

    Why the Conversation About Social Media and Youth Needs More Nuance

    Canada is taking a significant step toward addressing online safety for children.

    This week, the federal government is tabling legislation that would ban social media platforms from allowing Canadian children under the age of 16 to create and maintain accounts. Under the proposed online safety bill, technology companies could apply for exemptions if they can demonstrate that their platforms meet strict safety standards designed to protect young users.

    The legislation would also establish new responsibilities for AI chatbots, requiring safeguards and accountability measures to reduce potential harms to children and youth. The proposal comes after years of advocacy from child safety organizations and growing concerns about cyberbullying, online exploitation, harmful content, and the impact of social media on youth mental health.

    The conversation is not limited to Ottawa. Here in Manitoba, Premier Wab Kinew has also expressed support for restricting social media access for children under 16, reflecting a broader national discussion about how best to protect young people in an increasingly digital world.

    As a parent, I understand why governments are paying attention.

    Every day, children interact with platforms designed by some of the most sophisticated technology companies in the world. These companies invest billions of dollars into creating products that keep users engaged, scrolling, watching, clicking, and returning. Parents often feel as though they are competing against systems specifically designed to capture and hold their children’s attention.

    There is no question that online safety deserves serious attention.

    But as a Deaf parent raising Deaf children, I believe there is another side of this conversation that deserves equal consideration.

    The Internet Was More Than Entertainment for Me

    When I was growing up, the internet was not simply a source of entertainment.

    It was a gateway to a world that often felt out of reach.

    As a Deaf youth living in Winnipeg, my opportunities to connect with other Deaf peers were naturally limited. While Winnipeg has a strong Deaf community, it is considerably smaller than those found in larger cities such as Toronto or Vancouver. The reality was that there were only so many Deaf youth my age that I could meet and interact with locally.

    The internet changed that.

    Long before smartphones and today’s social media platforms, I spent countless hours in chatrooms, instant messaging services, and early social networking websites such as AIM, MySpace, Friendster, and AsianAvenue.

    Those platforms gave me opportunities that extended far beyond socializing.

    They helped me improve my literacy and English communication skills. They exposed me to pop culture, current events, and trends happening outside of Winnipeg. They allowed me to participate in conversations with people from different backgrounds and experiences. Most importantly, they connected me with friends across Canada and the United States.

    Those interactions helped build my confidence and gave me a stronger sense of belonging in a world that often felt inaccessible.

    Looking back, those online connections played a meaningful role in my personal growth and development.

    What About Deaf Children Today?

    This is why I believe we need to be careful when discussing blanket restrictions on social media access for young people.

    For many Deaf children living in rural communities or areas with limited resources, online platforms can serve a much larger purpose than entertainment or casual socializing.

    They can be critical tools for identity development, language access, peer connection, mentorship, and community building.

    Imagine being a Deaf child living in a small town where you are the only Deaf student in your school. You may rarely, if ever, have the opportunity to interact with another Deaf child your age. You may not have easy access to Deaf role models, mentors, or a larger Deaf community.

    Online communities can help bridge that gap.

    They can provide opportunities to connect with other Deaf youth, learn from Deaf adults, explore Deaf culture, access information, and develop a stronger sense of identity and belonging.

    For some children, these online spaces are not simply optional social networks. They are lifelines to a broader community that may not exist in their immediate environment.

    That reality should be part of the conversation.

    The Problem Isn’t Simply Access

    At the heart of this debate is a larger question.

    Is the issue that children have access to social media?

    Or is the issue that social media platforms have not done enough to create safe environments for children?

    I believe the answer is the latter.

    Technology companies control the algorithms that determine what content children see. They design the features that encourage prolonged engagement. They decide how recommendations work, how safety tools are implemented, and how harmful content is moderated.

    Parents certainly have a responsibility to guide and monitor their children’s online experiences.

    But it should not be the sole responsibility of parents to outsmart systems intentionally designed to maximize engagement.

    When policymakers discuss protecting children online, accountability should not rest entirely on families.

    Technology companies must also be held accountable for the products they create.

    What Real Protection Should Look Like

    If social media companies want exemptions under Canada’s proposed legislation, the standards should be meaningful.

    Success should not be measured solely by whether a platform can verify a user’s age.

    Success should be measured by outcomes.

    Are children safer?

    Are cyberbullying rates decreasing?

    Are harmful content recommendations being reduced?

    Are vulnerable youth being protected from exploitation?

    Are platforms designing products that prioritize wellbeing instead of engagement at all costs?

    These are the questions that matter.

    A social media ban may sound protective, but if children easily find ways around restrictions while harmful platform designs remain unchanged, we have not solved the underlying problem.

    The goal should be to make online spaces safer, not simply harder to access.

    A Balanced Approach

    I support efforts to protect children online.

    As a parent, I want my children to be safe from harmful content, cyberbullying, exploitation, and addictive platform designs.

    At the same time, I do not want us to overlook the positive role that online communities can play, particularly for children who face barriers to communication, connection, and belonging.

    For Deaf youth, online platforms can provide opportunities that may not exist locally. They can foster friendships, build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and connect children to communities that help shape their identity.

    As Canadians debate the future of social media regulation, I hope we avoid framing this issue as a simple choice between unrestricted access and outright bans.

    The real challenge is creating digital environments that are both safe and meaningful.

    Protecting children online is important. But true protection requires more than legislation alone. It requires technology companies to take responsibility for the environments they create, policymakers to consider the diverse needs of young people, and parents to remain engaged in their children’s digital lives.

    As a Deaf parent, I want my children to have the same opportunities for connection, learning, and growth that helped shape my own journey.

    The challenge before us is finding a way to preserve those opportunities while ensuring that children can explore the online world safely.

    That is a goal worth pursuing.

  • “It’s Accessible—It Has Captions”: Why That Assumption Still Excludes Deaf People in Canada

    As a Deaf dad, accessibility is not an abstract concept for me. It shows up in my work, my parenting, my community involvement, and in the everyday digital spaces my family and I navigate. It also shows up in conversations—often small, well-intentioned ones—that reveal how misunderstood Deaf accessibility still is.

    One such conversation recently took place on a social media messaging platform, and it highlighted a gap that many hearing content creators don’t realize exists.

    The creator reached out to me first, likely in the context of business, leads, or collaboration. She shared about her regular content posting and YouTube channel. As someone grounded in Deaf culture and accessibility work, I saw an opportunity to gently raise awareness about how her content could be more accessible to Deaf audiences—particularly Deaf leads, prospects, and clients.

    I suggested incorporating American Sign Language (ASL) for key videos, such as signed translations or interpretations.

    Her response was:

    “But it’s accessible with captions! And it’s my understanding most Deaf people can read English.”

    The exchange was polite and not hostile. Yet it reflected several deeply rooted misconceptions about Deaf accessibility—misconceptions that remain widespread in Canada. This experience is worth sharing not to single out one person, but to raise awareness about a systemic issue that continues to shape who is included and who is left out online.

    Captions Are Important—But They Are Not the Same as Access

    Captions play an important role in accessibility. They help many Deaf and hard-of-hearing people access spoken content, and when done well, they can include speaker identification and sound cues.

    However, captions alone are not an equivalent solution for the Deaf community.

    ASL Is a First Language for Many Deaf People

    For many Deaf Canadians—especially those who are prelingually Deaf and culturally Deaf—ASL is their first and primary language. ASL is not English on the hands. It is a fully developed visual language with its own grammar, syntax, and cultural meaning.

    ASL is experienced through movement, facial expression, and spatial relationships—not through reading text. When captions are presented in English, they assume fluency in a language that may be a second language for many Deaf people.

    In the Canadian context, this also includes la langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) and Indigenous sign languages used in some communities. Deaf Canadians are linguistically diverse, and English is not automatically the most accessible option.

    Captions Increase Cognitive Load

    Reading captions while watching visuals requires constant eye movement and mental processing. This can be especially challenging for fast-paced, technical, or emotionally nuanced content—particularly when captions are auto-generated and inaccurate (often referred to as “craptions”).

    ASL naturally conveys tone, emphasis, emotion, and intent through non-manual signals. For native signers, ASL often provides a clearer and more complete experience than written English captions.

    The Deaf Community Is Not One-Size-Fits-All

    Some Deaf people rely on captions. Some rely on ASL. Many prefer both. Needs vary depending on age of language exposure, education, identity, and access history.

    The statement “most Deaf people can read English” reflects a common assumption, but it oversimplifies reality. Research consistently shows wide variation in English literacy among Deaf individuals—largely due to language deprivation and systemic barriers in education.

    Assuming captions are sufficient for “most” people inevitably excludes those who already face the greatest barriers.

    What Canadian Deaf-Led Advocacy Has Long Said

    These issues are not new. Deaf-led organizations in Canada have been clear for decades:

    • The Canadian Association of the Deaf – Association des Sourds du Canada (CAD-ASC) advocates for the recognition and use of ASL, LSQ, and Indigenous sign languages. CAD-ASC played a key role in shaping the Accessible Canada Act, which explicitly names these sign languages in federal law and affirms the right to accessible communication.
    • The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA) promotes accessible communities while recognizing the diverse communication needs across Deaf and hard-of-hearing populations.
    • Canadian service providers such as Asign demonstrate how sign language interpreting, translation, and on-demand solutions remove real-world communication barriers in workplaces, education, and digital spaces.

    These perspectives align with international standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which recognize sign language as a necessary accessibility option—not an enhancement—for prerecorded content.

    “But It’s Accessible”: A Hearing-Centred Starting Point

    The response I received reflects a common hearing-centred mindset: captions are seen as “doing accessibility,” often based on general advice rather than Deaf input.

    The phrase “my understanding” matters. It signals reliance on assumptions rather than lived experience or Deaf-led knowledge. This is not about blame. Many hearing creators simply haven’t been exposed to Deaf linguistic realities.

    As a Deaf dad, I see how these assumptions show up everywhere—from online content to education systems to public services. They are rarely intentional, but their impact is real.

    Moving Toward Meaningful Accessibility

    Accessibility is not about perfection. It’s about choice, equity, and listening.

    Practical steps for Canadian content creators include:

    • Providing accurate, well-timed captions as a baseline.
    • Offering ASL or LSQ options for key content through signed videos, picture-in-picture interpreters, or separate sign language translations.
    • Consulting Deaf ASL/LSQ professionals and Deaf community members.
    • Asking audiences what they need instead of assuming.
    • Learning from Deaf-led organizations and Canadian accessibility frameworks.

    When accessibility is done well, everyone benefits. Deaf people gain meaningful participation—not partial access. Creators expand their reach and build trust with communities too often overlooked.

    Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

    If you’re a content creator, educator, employer, or organization in Canada, I invite you to reflect:

    Who might your current accessibility choices unintentionally exclude?

    This post isn’t meant to end the conversation—it’s meant to open one.

    As a Deaf dad and community advocate, I believe real accessibility grows through dialogue, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. If you have questions, reflections, or experiences to share, I welcome them. Let’s continue building digital spaces where Deaf people are not an afterthought, but an integral part of the audience from the start.