A deaf and blind social media influencer Molly Watt has been shortlisted for a prestigious award in recognition of her work to improve the accessibility of websites and social media content.

Molly, 29, has Usher Syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects hearing, balance and vision. 

She was born deaf, began losing her sight when she was 12 years old and was registered severely sight impaired at 14.

Molly describes those two years as a “scary” time and began blogging about her experience with Usher Syndrome.  

She works full time for a human-centred website design agency called Nexer Digital, supporting clients to improve the accessibility of their online offering.

She also helps run the Molly Watt Trust, which raises awareness of Usher Syndrome and enables people with the condition to access assistive technology. 

Molly uses the social media handle MollyWattTalks and MollyWattTrust and has a powerful presence on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok. 

One of her most viewed social media posts was a video of her guide dog, Bella, guiding her to a help point at a London Underground station. The video received six million views across social media, including four million views on TikTok.  

Molly realised the difference that assistive technology could make after being shown how Apple products enable users to zoom in on text. She began “shining a light” on the difference that technology could make “because I couldn’t do my life without it.” 

In 2016 she wrote a blog post about Apple’s Smart Watch. The post was retweeted by Apple’s Phil Schiller and went viral. 

She became a user experience consultant, working with brands such as BBC, Spotify and ASOS on accessibility, and has spoken at events around the world.  

In 2017 she was invited to present a TedX talk with the NHS about breaking barriers in the NHS.  

Molly’s social media content documents her life, including the challenges she faces, the impact deafblindness has on her mental health and what life is like with a guide dog.

She also discusses technology and accessibility, recently posting about a positive experience she had with a midwife.  

Through her content, she seeks to tackle misconceptions about deafblindness, describing how she was turned down for a Saturday job because people perceived that “deafblind people can’t do anything.” 

She continues: “I want the public to be more open and less judgemental when it comes to what people with sight loss can do. I also want to empower my own community to show them what’s possible.” 

Molly has received widespread media coverage, including on Sky News and BBC Ouch. She has also taken part in radio shows and written for the Metro. She is now expecting her first baby. 

After being shortlisted for the award, Molly said: “It’s incredibly validating to be shortlisted as someone who has been advocating since my teenage years, to feel heard and to have people reward me with recognition."