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Channel 4 Streaming iOS App Accessibility Statement

Accessibility statement for Channel 4 Streaming iOS app

This accessibility statement applies to the Channel 4 Streaming iOS app for mobile and tablet devices.

Channel 4 is committed to providing a streaming service that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of ability, capability or technology.

At Channel 4 we routinely check our apps - when amendments are made to existing screens and when new elements and features are released - to ensure that they meet our accessibility requirements, and we do respond positively to feedback regarding the accessibility of any of our screens or services. We aim to conform to the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C's) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), to AA level, wherever possible.

This app is run by Channel 4. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this app. For example, that means:

  • Logical and consistent navigation is provided for users
  • The UI is tested to conform to colour contrast ratios as set out in WCAG guidelines.
  • We have implemented single tap interactions as an alternative to swipe gestures. Tapping on headers within the app homepage will expand a page that can be scrolled vertically in order to view all content
  • The app resizes text when you change text size in your device settings
  • You can navigate most of the app using just a Bluetooth keyboard
  • You can navigate the app using VoiceOver screen reader
  • The VoiceOver ROTOR can be used to understand elements out of context for screen reader users. To understand more about the VoiceOver Rotor please visit the Apple Support pages
  • System inverted colours via the iOS device settings area are supported
  • Search facilities have been implemented to find programmes quickly and steps have been taken to improve the Search experience for screen reader users
  • On the Live TV section of the app, when you are signed in, you can toggle to turn auto-playing content off within the ‘On Now’ view
  • Content can be watched with Subtitles where a speech bubble icon is displayed.
    • Most of the content on the Channel 4 Streaming iOS app has the subtitles feature, including video on demand and live content.
    • Programmes can be filtered by a ‘Subtitled’ option within the Search function and within each programme category.
  • Content can be watched with Audio Description where an 'AD' icon is displayed.
    • Across the Channel 4 Streaming platforms which support Audio Description, around 40% of our programme hours have this access service, and we’re adding new titles all the time
    • The ‘Audio Described’ category can be found within the Search navigation option to navigate directly to content with this access service. Programmes can also be filtered by an ‘Audio Described’ option within each programme category.
  • We have a curated signed collection, containing some of our most popular shows with British Sign Language interpretation. This is available from the homepage or by searching the word 'signed'. Signed programmes or episodes feature a BSL icon as part of their main image. We are adding new titles to this collection all the time, as well as looking to improve the navigation to these programmes.

How accessible this app is

We know some parts of this app are not fully accessible:

  • Orientation: We are aware that the app cannot be turned into landscape mode other than during playback.
  • Text sizing: We are aware that when enabling larger text sizes via iOS settings, there are some issues that we have been unable to avoid at this time. We are making every effort to overcome these limitations by improving their accessibility. If you experience any accessibility problems with our app, please contact us.
    • Some instances of text may be cut short due to limitations with cell height. However, whenever information is critical to the user (e.g. when prompted to accept a particular setting in the app), we have avoided this by making these components scrollable.
    • On certain small screen devices (iPhone 5S, iPhone SE 1st Gen), the Continue Watching title and 'Edit' labels are quite close together. This has no impact on functionality.
    • When a user opens the ‘Watch More’ feature in the player, the episode title is hidden until the user minimises controls.
    • There are areas in the app where text components are returned by third parties, and we are unable to resize the text of these components currently.
    • There may be some overlapping issues.
  • Auto-playing content: You cannot currently turn off auto-playing content when at the end of an episode or film. You can exit autoplay by tapping back into the content you are watching.
  • VoiceOver: VoiceOver has been found to be compatible with the app except for areas that have accessibility limitations. E.g. VoiceOver users are not able to access the pre-populated address options within the address drop down. The address can only be added manually.
  • Switch Access: Whilst we do not test with Switch technology, we are working to ensure that all content can be accessed without relying on gestures, and that wherever possible we provide a single tap alternative. For example, we have implemented single tap interactions as an alternative to swipe gestures on headers within the app homepage. Tapping on headers within the app homepage will expand a page that can be scrolled vertically in order to view all content
  • Alternate colour schemes, contrast levels and fonts: The app does not currently offer alternate colour schemes, contrast levels or fonts. However, System Inverted Colours via the ‘Smart Invert’ iOS settings area are supported.
  • Keyboard access focus order: We are aware that there are multiple focus order issues affecting keyboard users on our Registration and Sign in pages, where the focus does not start at the top of each screen.
  •  Swipe gestures: We are aware that the ‘Continue Watching’ area of the ‘My Shows’ section of the app relies on swipe gestures and does not yet support single tap interaction to navigate.
  • Access services: Audio Description and Subtitles/Closed captions are not currently supported on all our advertising content.

Further formation can be found in our accessibility help pages.

Feedback and contact information

You can contact our Viewer Enquiries team via one of the methods below.

  • Email us at accessibility@channel4.co.uk
  • Contact us via our phone number on 0345 076 0191 (standard local landline rate, mobile costs may differ)
  • For anyone who is Deaf, hearing or speech impaired or unable to make a voice-based call, you can also contact us during opening hours using one of the following:

Our opening hours are:
Monday to Friday 10am to 7pm
Saturday 10am to 6pm
Sunday 10am to 4pm
Bank Holidays: 10am to 4pm

We’ll consider your request and get back to you in as short a time frame as possible.

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF or large print, please contact us using one of the methods above.

You may find it useful to visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on our 4Viewers website, where you will find further information on using the Channel 4 Streaming Service if you have a disability or impairment. If required, we can provide FAQ information via a Word or Excel document. Please get in touch via our contact us form, or email us - accessibility@channel4.co.uk - to arrange this.

Reporting accessibility problems with this app

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of our streaming service. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact us by using one of the methods above under the ‘Feedback and contact information’ section.

You can also write to us at Channel 4 Enquiries, PO Box 1058, Belfast. BT1 9DU or contact us on X (formerly Twitter), find our account @4Viewers here -> 4Viewers (@4Viewers) / X (twitter.com)

Technical information about this app’s accessibility

Channel 4 is committed to making its streaming service accessible, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Compliance status
This app is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

Non-accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Focus
Some of the Registration and Sign In pages cannot be navigated sequentially by keyboard users. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.3 (Focus Order).

We plan to resolve this issue before year end 2024 by ensuring the focus order is sequential and matches the visual order.

Unlabelled form elements
There is a button and an edit field present on the Registration page that did not have a label associated to them. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 3.3.2 (Labels or Instructions) 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).

We plan to resolve this issue before year end 2024.

Inaccessible content
When VoiceOver users sequentially navigate through the Registration page and enter their postcode, they cannot access or action the items within the menu that appears, they will have to enter their address manually to continue. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.1.1 (Keyboard).

We plan to resolve this issue before year end 2024.

Pointer Gestures
We are aware that the ‘Continue Watching’ area of the ‘My Shows’ section of the app relies on swipe gestures and does not yet support single tap interaction to navigate. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.5.1 (Pointer Gestures).

Disproportionate burden

Orientation
We are aware that the app cannot be turned into landscape mode other than during playback. Page content is also restricted to being viewed in portrait orientation, and does not comply with WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.4 (Orientation). This is a known issue affecting Channel 4 mobile applications.

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

In order to offer and maintain high standards of accessibility on our streaming service, the Digital Accessibility Centre (DAC) have reviewed this app against WCAG 2.1 Guidelines in August 2022.

The app is constantly being improved in response to accessibility issues which have been raised via this audit and through other sources such as user feedback and research.

A follow up re-test by the DAC is planned before year end 2024.

For more information about Digital Accessibility Centre accessibility auditing, please visit the Digital Accessibility Centre website (opens in new window)

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared June 2019. It was last reviewed on 22nd August 2024.

This app was last tested on 16th August 2022. The test was carried out by The Digital Accessibility Centre.

Every section of the Channel 4 Streaming service iOS app was tested against WCAG 2.1 Guidelines, with the exception of the end of playback experience which has been tested against WCAG 2.2 Guidelines.