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Closed captioning
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== Application == Closed captions were created for [[deaf]] and [[Hearing impairment|hard of hearing]] individuals to assist in comprehension. They can also be used as a tool by those learning to read, or those learning to speak a non-native language, or in environments where the audio is difficult to hear or is intentionally muted. Captions can also be used by viewers who simply wish to read a transcript along with the program audio.{{cn|date=May 2025}} In the United States, the [[National Captioning Institute]] noted that [[English as a foreign or second language]] (ESL) learners were the largest group buying decoders in the late 1980s and early 1990s before built-in decoders became a standard feature of US television sets. This suggested that the largest audience of closed captioning was people whose native language was not English. In the United Kingdom, of 7.5 million people using TV subtitles (closed captioning), 6 million have no hearing impairment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/accessservs/summary/ |website=[[Ofcom]] |title=Television access services |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601080942/http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/accessservs/summary/ |archive-date=June 1, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Closed captions are also used in public environments, such as bars and restaurants, where patrons may not be able to hear over the background noise, or where multiple televisions are displaying different programs. In addition, online videos may be treated through digital processing of their audio content by various robotic algorithms (robots). Multiple chains of errors are the result. When a video is truly and accurately transcribed, then the closed-captioning publication serves a useful purpose, and the content is available for search engines to index and make available to users on the Internet.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.dbcde.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/84710/Media_Access_Australia_-_Response_to_Media_Access_Review_2008.pdf |title = Submission to DBCDE's investigation into Access to Electronic Media for the Hearing and Vision Impaired |access-date = 2009-01-29 |author1 = Alex Varley |date = June 2008 |publisher = Media Access Australia |location = Australia |page = 16 |quote = The use of captions and audio description is not limited to deaf and blind people. Captions can be used in situations of "temporary" deafness, such as watching televisions in public areas where the sound has been turned down (commonplace in America and starting to appear more in Australia). |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081203071118/http://www.dbcde.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/84710/Media_Access_Australia_-_Response_to_Media_Access_Review_2008.pdf |archive-date = 2008-12-03 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.sfgov.org/site/sfmdc_page.asp?id=86619 |title = Resolution in Support of Board of Supervisors' Ordinance Requiring Activation of Closed Captioning on Televisions in Public Areas |access-date = 2009-01-29 |author = Mayor's Disability Council |date = May 16, 2008 |publisher = City and County of San Francisco |quote = that television receivers located in any part of a facility open to the general public have closed captioning activated at all times when the facility is open and the television receiver is in use. |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090128130124/http://www.sfgov.org/site/sfmdc_page.asp?id=86619 |archive-date = January 28, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ada.gov/norwegian.htm|title=Settlement Agreement Between The United States And Norwegian American Hospital Under The Americans With Disabilities Act|author1=Alex Varley|date=April 18, 2005|publisher=U.S. Department of Justice|access-date=2009-01-29|quote=will have closed captioning operating in all public areas where there are televisions with closed captioning; televisions in public areas without built-in closed captioning capability will be replaced with televisions that have such capability}}</ref> Some television sets can be set to automatically turn captioning on when the volume is muted.{{cn|date=May 2025}}
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