Closed captions

Closed captions refer to the transcription of dialogue, along with important sounds, that appears on audiovisual materials, such as movies, online videos, television programs, and streamed content. This transcription is displayed as a text overlay, usually on the lower portion of the screen. Closed captions are often user-selectable, so they can be turned on and off by the viewer; in some cases, they are part of the video itself and cannot be turned off by the viewer. Closed caption is typically abbreviated as “CC” in platform and device settings.

Closed captions play an essential role in content accessibility. Many people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, as well as those with some types of cognitive and auditory processing disabilities, use captions to understand audio visual material. And captions don’t just improve accessibility for people with disabilities: users may turn on closed captions to play video content in a quiet environment, such as a library, in a loud environment like an airport or gym, or to more easily follow spoken dialogue.

What is the difference between subtitles and closed captioning?

The terms “subtitles” and “closed captioning” are sometimes used interchangeably. Technically speaking, however, there is a distinction between the two. While the transcription provided in closed captions is generally in the same language as the corresponding spoken audio, subtitles usually refer to translations. For example, English-speaking audiences may use English subtitles to follow the dialogue in a Spanish-language TV show.

Additionally, closed captions describe important sounds and sound effects in a video, whereas subtitles only include a translation of the dialogue. (Subtitles are intended for people who can hear the audio but can’t understand it, so those users don’t need sounds described to them.)

It’s worth noting that, in some countries outside of the U.S., the term “closed captions” is not used. For example, in the U.K., the term “subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing (SDH)” is used instead.

What is an example of closed captioning?

While closed captions can follow a variety of visual formats, they’re most frequently rendered in white or yellow text on a black background. Though captions sometimes appear without a background, it’s important to ensure that there’s sufficient color contrast between caption text and the content behind it for accessibility.

A screenshot of a YouTube video featuring Karl Groves, Chief Innovation Officer at Level Access. At the bottom of the screen, closed captions read: I am a Chief Innovation Officer here at Level Access. The closed captions are rendered as white letters over a black background.

[Alt text: A screenshot of a YouTube video featuring Karl Groves, Chief Innovation Officer at Level Access. At the bottom of the screen, closed captions read: I am a Chief Innovation Officer here at Level Access. The closed captions are rendered as white letters over a black background.]

In addition to dialogue, closed captions may convey relevant sound effects or music. This information is typically provided in brackets: for example, [applause], [laughter], or [a door creaks open]. These captions equip users with meaningful context, especially in movies or TV shows where the music or sound effects are necessary to understand the story.

In media that features music with lyrics (such as music videos, or movie scenes where a character is singing), all lyrics will be transcribed in closed captions. They may be differentiated from spoken audio with a musical note, written in italics, or accompanied by a bracketed descriptor like [singing:].

When is closed captioning required?

As an accessibility best practice, all video or audio recordings should include closed captions. However, many U.S. and international laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the European Accessibility Act mandate the use of closed captioning in publicly available audiovisual content.

Additionally, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that broadcasting companies, cable companies, and satellite services must provide closed captioning for all new, non-exempt English language programming.

What are the FCC requirements for closed captions?

The FCC outlines specific requirements for closed captions, which apply to online video content as well as film and TV programming from broadcast media companies. These rules mandate that closed captions are:

• Accurate: Spoken words and non-speech sounds should match and should be captioned accurately.

• Synchronous: Captions must be in sync with the audio of the program. Text should coincide with corresponding spoken words and sounds and be displayed on screen at a speed that users can read.
• Complete: Captions must be present throughout the entirety of a program.
• Properly placed: Closed captions should not block any important on-screen visuals, overlap with one another, or run off the edge of the screen.

When did closed captioning become a law?

The first U.S. laws surrounding closed captioning were passed in the early 1990s. In 1993, just three years after the invention of decoder chips enabling captioning to be broadcast along with TV signals, the U.S. government mandated that every new TV contain caption coding technology. This was followed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which requires that digital television receivers support closed captioning.

In 2006, the U.S. became the first country to mandate that all new TV programs include closed captions. Six years later, in 2012, the FCC made closed captioning a requirement for online videos.

To learn more about accessibility standards for digital content, and ensure your organization is compliant with the ADA and other laws, access The Must-Have WCAG Checklist.