Phones, Phones, Phones - Inaccessibility
Isn't it annoying when you find something you would like because you think it looks good or it will make your life easier, but it's not accessible to you? I get this all the time because of one small thing - I don't have a mobile phone. Shock horror! I know that this may be difficult to comprehend for some, but not everyone has a mobile phone! Wake up! Some of us aren't able to use mobile phones, yet most things these days are becoming more and more dependent on them and it's wrong! I don't know about you, but I feel left out because apparently it's "normal" to own a mobile phone. That's the impression I get anyway.
I believe it is not fair that people expect you to have a mobile phone, and if you don't, it's your choice. They don't think about the ones who aren't able to use a mobile phone, who's lives are made more difficult when yet another thing becomes more mobile phone based. It's ridiculous! Take Instagram for example; Instagram is a mobile phone app, and you can't use every feature on a PC. As I said in a letter to Instagram last year, if you use Instagram on a PC, you have to download two separate applications to use most features within Instagram itself. I'm still not sure if I can use every feature. I don't think I can upload to my 'story', whatever that is... See, if Instagram was fully accessible, then more people would use it. Let's not forget about why I'm writing this - If mobile phones were accessible, then we wouldn't have this problem, would we?
Security is being rolled over to mobile phones too! As I explained in a Twitter thread, Twitter has changed its security settings so that if you get locked out of your account for whatever reason, you have to secure your account using text messaging. Twitter used to allow you to change your password by sending a link in an e-mail which had a link to take you to a page to change your password, but now you have to get a code from a text message. As I don't have a mobile phone, I have to ask my mum to tell me the code so that I can type the code in to get back in or change my password. I have looked into a text messaging app for computers, but even they require a mobile number to set it up! How stupid is that?
Yes, mobile phones are great for most people, but when you have little use of your hands, there is no way that I know of to use a mobile phone. I may be able to use a tablet with my feet, but I don't think I would be able to use a mobile phone with my feet because I think most of the icons and buttons would be too small for me to press accurately. Plus, if I'm in my wheelchair, with shoes on, I wouldn't be able to press the buttons or icons on the phone. There may be a way to connect a mobile phone up to my new electric wheelchair some how, but I'm not sure.
I don't know how many times I have said this, but this is not fair! Why can't they let users have the choice to do these things via email? That way, it would be much more accessible. Furthermore, it would be even better if someone could find a way to modify mobile phones so that everyone could use them.
In a way, I feel left out from society and I don't feel "normal" because I don't have a mobile phone. (I use the term "normal" very loosely.) These days, most of the British population have mobile phones, I have even heard about 10-year-olds having mobile phones! I would be interested if other people who have a similar disability to me use mobile phones, and if so, how they use them.
Thanks for reading, come back next time.
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