Social Marking

In accessibility contexts, social marking refers to the way assistive technologies or accommodations can draw unwanted attention to a person's disability, making their impairment visible in social situations where they might otherwise go unnoticed. Research has shown that users may reject more functional assistive technologies in favour of less capable alternatives if the more functional option "marks" them as having a disability. For example, a blind person might prefer a tactile watch they can check silently over a talking watch that announces the time audibly, drawing stares and questions from bystanders. Social marking is a significant factor in assistive technology adoption and abandonment — designers must consider not only whether a technology works, but whether its use is socially neutral or whether it inadvertently exposes the user to stigmatisation, curiosity, or unwanted interactions.