Snapchat wants to help you learn American Sign Language (ASL).
TikTok CEO explains to Congress why his kids aren't on the app
The new ASL Alphabet Lens lets people practice the ASL alphabet, learn to sign their name, and play games. It’s based on technology from Signall, which uses AR and cameras to read and translate sign language. But is Snapchat, or TikTok, or the like, a good platform for education? Or is this just using deaf awareness as a PR stunt, a kind of greenwashing for accessibility?
“It doesn't seem like a serious attempt to educate beyond the kind of token advertising you get on [Apple's] Fitness+,” deaf designer and author Graham Bower told Lifewire in an interview.
Not everyone is so cynical. Several respondents to Lifewire's request for comment pointed out that the reach of Snapchat and TikTok makes them good platforms for education: If you can reach even a small percentage of users, that's a good thing.
