The sign-sync trend on TikTok: navigating engagement and digital accessibility in music challenges

Abstract

Within the broader ecosystem of music challenges on TikTok, the sign-sync trend combines lip-syncing, music, and gestural movements that emulate sign language. The analysis of 60 high-engagement videos, complemented by semi-structured interviews with six professional interpreters of Spanish Sign Language, provides insight into how these performances intersect with digital accessibility. Although they are widely perceived as inclusive by hearing audiences, most instances exhibit limited linguistic accuracy and depend on bimodal communicative strategies that diverge from the structural and discursive norms of signed languages. This disconnect constrains comprehension for Deaf sign language users and challenges the assumption that visual content inherently promotes accessibility. The findings highlight the need for critical reflection on how authenticity and accessibility are negotiated in user-generated representations of Spanish Sign Language on social media platforms.