Many people with epilepsy or photosensitivity risk having seizures triggered by flashing lights or visual patterns in videos. Currently, there's no universally recognized way to warn viewers about this danger, leaving them vulnerable every time they watch content online. This is especially concerning because even brief exposure to such triggers can have serious consequences, effectively limiting safe access to digital media for a significant portion of the population.

Creating a Universal Warning System

One approach could involve designing a simple, standardized icon that clearly indicates potential epilepsy triggers in videos. This could appear at the start of videos or alongside existing content warnings, similar to how closed captioning symbols work. The process might involve:

• Collaborating with designers and medical experts to create an intuitive, culturally-neutral symbol
• Testing the design with diverse groups to ensure quick recognition
• Developing guidelines for consistent implementation across platforms

Content creators could use this symbol whenever their videos include flashing lights or patterns, while platforms might integrate automated detection tools to help identify and label such content.

Driving Adoption Across Platforms

For this system to be effective, major video platforms would need to adopt it. One way to encourage this could be by demonstrating how the symbol benefits both users and platforms: viewers gain safety while platforms show commitment to accessibility. Initial steps might include:

1. Partnering with epilepsy organizations to build awareness
2. Launching pilot programs with volunteer creators
3. Creating simple tools that make it easy to add the warning

Long-term success might depend on establishing the standard through web accessibility guidelines, making the symbol a expected feature like captions or age restrictions.

Standing Out from Current Solutions

While some platforms offer text warnings, they lack the immediate visual recognition of a standardized symbol. User-generated content platforms often depend on inconsistent creator labeling, and curated services only warn about known triggers in professional content. A universal symbol could bridge these gaps by being:

Fast to recognize - Unlike text that must be read
Platform-agnostic - Working across YouTube, TikTok, and other services
Consistent - Reducing reliance on subjective creator judgments

The key advantage would be creating a system that's immediately understandable at a glance, reducing the cognitive load for viewers who need to quickly assess video safety.