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Cassian [main]

If you use a screen reader and have a Github account, consider commenting on this feature request:

"Add a way to filter posts that contain images with no alt text"
https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/29496

If you don't use a screen reader, please boost this post rather than commenting on the Github issue.

Like 8 March at 13:07 | Open on eldritch.cafe

15 comments

linguistic chaos goblin

@cassolotl I'm curious about why you're limiting this to screenreader users.

8 March at 14:18 | Open on mspsocial.net

Cassian [main]

@bright_helpings Oh right

8 March at 14:46 | Open on eldritch.cafe

Catherine Berry

@cassolotl @TomSwirly

Note that I do not use a screen reader, but would enable this feature immediately.

8 March at 15:07 | Open on mastodon.sdf.org

Danny Boling 🌈 ☮️

@cassolotl

I don't use a screen reader but I love this idea! If this gets implemented then I'll never see those posts that I'm not going to boost or favorite anyway. Sweet!

8 March at 15:44 | Open on mstdn.social

Jeremy Mallin

@cassolotl
It's not just about screen readers though. Alt text helps when people have slow connections and cannot load the image or when people who speak another language want to translate. Images of text cannot be translated, but alt text can be.

8 March at 15:45 | Open on autistics.life

Andrew Scott

@JeremyMallin @cassolotl
While true, the issue doesn't seem based on the technical merits (or failings) of `<img>` elements.

> This would help mitigate the spread of images across the Fediverse without alt text.

To me that reads like an enforcement mechanism. Edit: to be clear, I'm not just trying to shut you down. My problem is that the GitHub issue makes no mention of how the text is useful, it blindly implies that people should use it or else.

8 March at 16:13 | Open on fosstodon.org

Cassian [main]

@JeremyMallin Then leave a comment, and make it clear that you don't use a screen reader? You don't need my permission.

8 March at 18:42 | Open on eldritch.cafe

Kitchen Priestess (She/Her)

@cassolotl

You'll end with some people just putting a single dot of alt text and nothing else, out of spite. Just saying.

8 March at 15:46 | Open on babka.social

Leeloo

@cassolotl
I don't think it's quite as black and white as people want it to be. I often don't know what to put in the alt text because the post itself describes the picture.

8 March at 16:13 | Open on techhub.social

😀🚲

@leeloo @cassolotl then put "dog, as described"

8 March at 17:46 | Open on urbanists.social

Cassian [main]

The number of self-righteous people replying to say that they "don't use a screen reader but..." and then speaking in favour of this feature is like... ugh.

I don't have a strong opinion either way, because I don't have enough information. One accessibility consultant has commented, which is good, but still no people who need alt text, e.g. visually impaired people.

If any visually impaired people tell us that this is a good idea or a bad idea in their opinion I would love that so much. But if people who don't need alt text could please stop talking. Just. Plz.

[Except the accessibility consultant, you're allowed.]

The number of self-righteous people replying to say that they "don't use a screen reader but..." and then speaking in favour of this feature is like... ugh.

Expand text...

8 March at 18:50 | Open on eldritch.cafe

Cassian [main]

People who use #ScreenReaders, imagine a feature on your instance where you can automatically hide any post that contains images/videos without alt text.

If you reply with an opinion and YOU PERSONALLY don't need alt text for accessibility reasons, I will probably block you.

#poll #ScreenReader #accessibility #a11y #blind