cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/45437770

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Fediverse ALT issue.

Some people are annoyed by posts without Alttext, & others get reminded¹ to add it.

The core question is: How can we improve accessibility?

Proposal: ☑️ Add a user filter to hide media posts without AltTag ☑️ Reduced engagement on hidden posts would encourage adding Alt text ☑️ People who need accessibility wouldn’t have to encounter unlabeled media

If this gets traction, I’ll open a Mastodon GitHub issue (maybe on others too?).

¹ https://mastodon.social/@madeindex/113996311493021102

  • Snoopy@tarte.nuage-libre.frEnglish
    72·
    7 hours ago

    A simple one, i believe that softwares must enforce them rather letting users doing it.

    Here is some ideas :

    • refuse “image post” without alt text.
    • when you upload picture, you must provide their alt text, if there is no alt text, the picture will be deleted.
    • hide user post based on alt text and remove post score if the alt text is bad.
    • deactivate crosspost on posts who don’t have alt text

    It maybe harsh but i believe that’s the only way to reach accessibility.

    Edit :

    • alt text autogen + a reminder bot will help users
    • The app fedilab (mastodon) has some good rules on post with alt text.
    • collaborative alt text.
    • lambisio@feddit.clEnglish
      2·
      1 hour ago

      refuse “image post” without alt text.

      Mostly* works, but increases significantly the barrier of entry to engage in “conversational” / “collquial” fediversing, and subjects the largest groups of people to the limitations of their tooling.

      when you upload picture, you must provide their alt text, if there is no alt text, the picture will be deleted.

      I assume this is for when you attach a picture to an otherwise text / link post? In that case, I think this is a very good path, yes, since in this ase the user who is adding the picture is already engaging in the extra work of getting it.

      hide user post based on alt text and remove post score if the alt text is bad.

      No CCP style shit please, we already have enough of that with Piefed.

      Adding posts with no alt text to a predefined category or tag (such as Mastodon’s #Alt4Me) sounds like a reasonable alternative.

    • forestbeasts@pawb.socialEnglish
      4·
      3 hours ago

      That’s a really good way to end up with fake meaningless “alt text” that’s only put there to get around the restrictions.

      Caring about meaningful image descriptions is a cultural thing.

      – Frost