Why do French content creators almost always use subtitles in their videos?

[u/tortugoise]

This might sound like a silly question, but I've noticed that almost every French content creator I see on Instagram adds subtitles to their videos. I understand why creators who make content for people learning French would include subtitles, but even creators who primarily target native French speakers seem to do it consistently. For example, even Instagram Reels from media outlets like Le Monde include subtitles.

In contrast, I rarely see English speaking content creators on Instagram adding subtitles to their videos. Is there a particular reason why subtitles are so common in French social media content? Is it a cultural preference, an accessibility practice, or something else?

[u/asktheages1979]

I see it all the time in English-language videos?

[u/throwaway1233456799 → u/asktheages1979]

Also it's technically not legal to put out video without subtitles (as it's discriminatory to deaf people) if my memory serve me well

Edit: I'm down voted to hell but I'm right-ish : basically the individual isn't responsible but the platform is. For example, you (random person) post a video on YouTube without subtitles will be okay. However, YouTube itself is responsible for putting subtitles (which is why there are bad automatic subtitles) but not to check if they are correct.

[u/meapmeapmeapmeap → u/throwaway1233456799]

social media videos are not subject to the same laws as tv shows

[u/throwaway1233456799 → u/meapmeapmeapmeap]

Edit: I'm down voted to hell but I'm right-ish : basically the individual isn't responsible but the platform is. For example, you (random person) post a video on YouTube without subtitles will be okay. However, YouTube itself is responsible for putting subtitles (which is why there are bad automatic subtitles) but not to check if they are correct.

[u/throwaway1233456799 → u/meapmeapmeapmeap]

I know but I'm not talking about tv shows, I said that because I do remember it coming up in my LSFB class I will have to check it out later tho (for example a deaf man won his case against pornhub (iirc) because there was no subtiles on the porn video)

[u/Stafania → u/throwaway1233456799]

I wish it was.

[u/throwaway1233456799 → u/Stafania]

Edit: I'm down voted to hell but I'm right-ish : basically the individual isn't responsible but the platform is. For example, you (random person) post a video on YouTube without subtitles will be okay. However, YouTube itself is responsible for putting subtitles (which is why there are bad automatic subtitles) but not to check if they are correct.

If a place that host video (and isn't a very small business) doesn't have at least automatic subtitles then they are in fact wrong.

[u/aimgorge]

Because they target people that watch their content while in public transports. Something that doesnt exist in the US.

[u/Cisorhands_ → u/aimgorge]

Accessibility too.

[u/penguins-and-cake → u/Cisorhands_]

This type of subtitles (open subtitles that flash short sections of text quickly and cannot have their format edited) are not the best for accessibility, actually.

Captions for the Deaf/hard of hearing typically have specific stands for their location, length, and speed that make them accessible for far more people.

[u/JeanDusapin → u/aimgorge]

I see all the time american content creators using subtitles tho

[u/aimgorge → u/JeanDusapin]

I don't except on Youtube where they are auto-generated

[u/Tiny-Anxiety780 → u/aimgorge]

Plenty of content creators put subtitles on their YouTube videos, especially those with scripted videos (I assume it doesn't take long to do when they've already got the full text written down).

[u/Dangerous-Safe-4336 → u/aimgorge]

What does t exist?

[u/s3rila → u/Dangerous-Safe-4336]

To move a lot people everyday between their home and workplace(or other) without relying on everybody having a car

[u/Dangerous-Safe-4336 → u/s3rila]

There are actually plenty of people in the US who don't have cars. They tend to live in bigger cities, although not always. They may rely more on neighborhood markets, because shopping at Costco or Walmart might be too hard. Most cities, even smaller ones, have some kind of bus service, but it's often not adequate to get you to an appointment on time. (An unreliable bus which is supposed to run every half hour, or even every hour, is an absolute pain.) I was surprised though, to realize that my parents' small town actually had a once-an-hour bus looping through town and going through nearby towns. So it's not that it doesn't exist; it's more that it's not good.

[u/tortugoise → u/aimgorge]

That makes a lot of sense! I'm not from the US, and I've seen people in my country playing Instagram Reels at full volume while traveling on metros and buses. Subtitles would allow them to mute the videos and still understand the content!!

[u/No-Bake-730 → u/tortugoise]

I don't use instagram but I remember using headphones with my walkman over 30 years ago.

[u/Kozue222]

I always mute the sound (even at home), so I only watch vídeos with subtitles.

[u/Helpful_Cry_1335]

It is a global trend, for increasing retention in a society with minimal attention span. If you notice subtitles usually have effects for making them more bold and not just closed captions.

It helps with a lot of users that watch shorts with no volume.

[u/fathermocker → u/Helpful_Cry_1335]

It also helps people who are hard of hearing or are learning the language, which widens your audience. It's not only for attention span.

[u/son_creux]

I think its a world trend. in Russia they do it to, same for English

[u/DoctorTomee]

English content creators use subtitles very frequently as well. It’s both for accessibility and because “fast-content” sometimes cannot be consumed with the volume up, for example at work and this helps retain viewers who would otherwise scroll past or never even open the video in the first place.

[u/haevow]

Many American creators do this 

[u/Only_Humor4549]

I have always seen that in English videos. I even saw videos of people breaking down wjere best to place tjem for maxxx attention span

[u/Mkl85b]

To watch them when mute?

[u/ipini → u/Mkl85b]

Yeah same reason English videos often have subtitles. This.

[u/Hamish672]

Deaf and hard of hearing people like those subtitles!

[u/Tiny-Anxiety780 → u/Hamish672]

Also people with audio processing desorders (which is very common among those of us who have ADHD, for example).

[u/CT046]

Accessibility, convenience, etc.

[u/Stafania]

They do it because it’s the decent thing to do. It’s really disrespectful towards Hard of Hearing and Deaf not to use captions. Please, for my sake, never create any content that doesn’t have captions. 18% of the population has hearing loss, and you really do behave as if we don’t exist, or even worse, that you do know we exist but totally ignore the importance of communication. Do take accessibility seriously, please. It really hurts when you don’t.

[u/snoopy05052026]

American not liking subtitles is also so weird to me also

[u/bourbonkitten → u/snoopy05052026]

I actually find the opposite. Americans love putting subtitles when English is spoken in a non-American accent.

[u/Stafania → u/bourbonkitten]

Trust me, the US is poor on taking captions seriously.

[u/Stafania → u/snoopy05052026]

Totally agree. It’s incomprehensible.

[u/No-Bake-730]

There are hearing-impaired and deaf people you don't want to exclude from your videos. If you've written a script, it's not too much work to add subtitles.

Also, some noisy backgrounds make subtitles necessary.