Twitter has announced it will change the design of its app after headache complaints.
Twitter has announced it will change the design of its app after users complained the recent update gave them headaches. The new font was rolled out a week ago to improve the look and feel of the app and do away with unnecessary “visual clutter.”
However, many people with accessibility needs complained that the new design was difficult to read and was unnecessarily bright during nighttime.
One user wrote:
“It’s smaller and denser now, which means I need to strain my eyes more to read,”
Another said:
“It is just impossible to read if one has a visual and/or processing impairment.”
Following the complaints the tech giant tweeted from its accessibility account, saying:
“We’re making contrast changes on all buttons to make them easier on the eyes because you told us the new look is uncomfortable for people with sensory sensitivities.”
A day after the initial tweet, another one followed which said:
“We’ve identified issues with the Chirp font for Windows users and are actively working on a fix.”
In response to users feedback which suggested they should be able to choose their own font, Twitter stated it was “going through everyone’s feedback on the font”.
In January, Twitter head of branding Derrit DeRouen announced the new font which replaced the old Helvetica typeface and said it had been designed by Swiss type foundry Grilli, “to improve how we convey emotion and imperfection.”
Despite this, the Twitter thread is filled with replies calling for the reinstatement of Helvetica, suggesting the issue is still not fixed for a lot of users.
Alongside a rise of confusion has been the sight issues and the reported headaches.
So it is pretty clear that what was intended to ease accessibility has in fact been pretty inaccessible to many. Now, one might just assume that users will likely get used to the design change over time. But this looks like a very different situation if the change is causing physical discomfort.
High contrast is usually used to be helpful for people who have low vision or are colourblind. However, it can be painful for those who are sensitive to bright colours or light.