Point made with an image of minimal text? from lemmynsfw?
Did you notice the alt text?
Here’s the markdown
When that image breaks, the alt text & a broken image icon renders in its place, so readers will still understand the message.
People using accessibility technology (like screenreaders) can now understand the image.
Search engines can find the image by the alt text.
I think griping over inaccessible text & lack of link to real text is more compelling, because it’s a direct choice of the author: it directly impacts the user, the complaint goes directly to the author impacting the user, the author has direct control over it & can choose to fix it at any time.
There’s a good chance of an immediate remedy.
Griping over AI, however, adds little that isn’t posted frequently around here & is a bit like yelling at clouds: we aren’t about to stop that technology by yelling about it on here.
I’m sure it feels good, though.
It could feel better with a link & proper text.
Yeah, and I noticed it didn’t describe the image at all - unless one had already seen the image and knew what it was. So for visually impaired users (i.e. one of the main groups who would benefit from alt text) it is insufficient at best.
Griping over AI, however, isn’t adding anything that isn’t posted frequently around here
Specific to the OP the issue is those of us who know gen-AI is an enormous piece of shit with only downsides for things we care about like culture and learning, we might feel like we’re going a little crazy in a culture that only seems to be able to share love for it in public places like work. Even public criticism of it has been limited to economic and ecological harms. I haven’t seen that particular angle before very much, and as someone else posted here I felt recognized by it.
Yeah, and I noticed it didn’t describe the image at all
How would you state it over the phone?
Alt text is a succinct alternative that conveys (accurate/equivalent) meaning in context, much like reading a comment with an image to someone over the phone.
If you would have said that “Simpsons meme of an old man yelling at a cloud”, then that would also suffice.
It doesn’t need to go into elaborate detail.
In those discussions, people often talk about having enough, losing their minds, it making people dumber, too.
I get it helps to feel recognized, so would it feel better to broaden the reach of that message for more recognition?
“A screenshot of The Simpsons showing a hand holding a newspaper article featuring a picture of Grandpa Simpson shaking his fist at the sky and scowling, with the headline ‘Old Man Yells At Clouds’”
It doesn’t need to go into elaborate detail.
It depends on how much you care that someone who needs or wants the alt text needs to know.
so would it feel better to broaden the reach of that message for more recognition?
absolutely. And, ironically, one of the possible use cases of AI where it might-sort-of-kinda-work-okay-to-help-although-it-needs-work-because-it’s-still-kind-of-sucky.
It depends on how much you care that someone who needs or wants the alt text needs to know.
The accessibility advocates at WebAIM in the previous link don’t seem to think a verbal depiction (which an algorithm could do) is adequate.
They emphasize what an algorithm does poorly: convey meaning in context.
Their 1st example indicates less is better: they don’t dive into incidental details of the astronaut’s dress, props, hand placement, but merely give her title & name.
They recommend
not include phrases like “image of …” or “graphic of …”, etc
and calling it a screenshot is non-essential to context.
The hand holding a newspaper isn’t meaningful in context, either.
The headline already states the content of the picture, redundancy is discouraged, and unless context refers the picture (it doesn’t), it’s also non-essential to context.
The best alternative text will depend on the context and intended content of the image.
Unless gen-AI mindreads authors, I expect it will have greater difficulty delivering meaning in context than verbal depictions.
Did you notice the alt text? Here’s the markdown
When that image breaks, the alt text & a broken image icon renders in its place, so readers will still understand the message. People using accessibility technology (like screenreaders) can now understand the image. Search engines can find the image by the alt text.
I think griping over inaccessible text & lack of link to real text is more compelling, because it’s a direct choice of the author: it directly impacts the user, the complaint goes directly to the author impacting the user, the author has direct control over it & can choose to fix it at any time. There’s a good chance of an immediate remedy.
Griping over AI, however, adds little that isn’t posted frequently around here & is a bit like yelling at clouds: we aren’t about to stop that technology by yelling about it on here. I’m sure it feels good, though. It could feel better with a link & proper text.
Yeah, and I noticed it didn’t describe the image at all - unless one had already seen the image and knew what it was. So for visually impaired users (i.e. one of the main groups who would benefit from alt text) it is insufficient at best.
Specific to the OP the issue is those of us who know gen-AI is an enormous piece of shit with only downsides for things we care about like culture and learning, we might feel like we’re going a little crazy in a culture that only seems to be able to share love for it in public places like work. Even public criticism of it has been limited to economic and ecological harms. I haven’t seen that particular angle before very much, and as someone else posted here I felt recognized by it.
How would you state it over the phone? Alt text is a succinct alternative that conveys (accurate/equivalent) meaning in context, much like reading a comment with an image to someone over the phone. If you would have said that “Simpsons meme of an old man yelling at a cloud”, then that would also suffice. It doesn’t need to go into elaborate detail.
In those discussions, people often talk about having enough, losing their minds, it making people dumber, too. I get it helps to feel recognized, so would it feel better to broaden the reach of that message for more recognition?
“A screenshot of The Simpsons showing a hand holding a newspaper article featuring a picture of Grandpa Simpson shaking his fist at the sky and scowling, with the headline ‘Old Man Yells At Clouds’”
It depends on how much you care that someone who needs or wants the alt text needs to know.
absolutely. And, ironically, one of the possible use cases of AI where it might-sort-of-kinda-work-okay-to-help-although-it-needs-work-because-it’s-still-kind-of-sucky.
The accessibility advocates at WebAIM in the previous link don’t seem to think a verbal depiction (which an algorithm could do) is adequate. They emphasize what an algorithm does poorly: convey meaning in context.
Their 1st example indicates less is better: they don’t dive into incidental details of the astronaut’s dress, props, hand placement, but merely give her title & name.
They recommend
and calling it a screenshot is non-essential to context. The hand holding a newspaper isn’t meaningful in context, either. The headline already states the content of the picture, redundancy is discouraged, and unless context refers the picture (it doesn’t), it’s also non-essential to context.
Unless gen-AI mindreads authors, I expect it will have greater difficulty delivering meaning in context than verbal depictions.
Geez for someone who ostensibly wants people to use alt text you’re super picky about it.
Good luck?
If you want to fuss about common industry guidelines, then take it up with them. It’s even in standard guidelines: