One way that fedi is really unique is that so many people take the time to put alt-text on their images – so low-vision and blind people participate much more fully than on other social networks. That said, at least half the images on most instances don’t have alt-text. And alt-text is only one of many aspects of accessibility – while some fedi software works well for people using screenreaders and other assistive technology, there’s still a lot of room for improvement.
So, let’s make things better!
As a first step, let’s focus on gathering information – resources, tips, known issues, suggestions for improvements, and best practices or sources of inspiration in other software. A few specific questions:
What resources and tips have you found useful – or think might be useful for others?
What accessibility problems have you encountered on social networks – bugs, missing documentation or functionality, whatever?
What are inspirations or best practices from other software we can learn from (yes even including evil centralized social networks, because sometimes they do some aspects of accessibility quite well)
Any suggestions for improving things? These don’t have to be limited to software improvements. For example, as new people join fedi, they’re coming from networks that don’t value accessibility as much … how can we help them realize that things are different here, give them the basic tools they need to avoid common mistakes, and let them know how they can help if they have the time?
I also like the way how sending a missing alt-text in a reply and hashtagging with #ALT4you has become common practice, and more and more seen as a gesture of helpfulness (and not oversplaining as in the early days of this practice). Though there might be more people who, given an #ALT4you, actually edited the alt-text in the original post.
Agreed all around, and I think this points to a couple of opportunities for improvement:
getting more awareness of #Alt4You / #AltText4You, and the companion #Alt4Me / #AltText4Me to request alt text – and how to add suggested alt text to the image (because a lot of people don’t know you can edit the post to add alt text)
UI support for taking the suggested alt text and automagically adding it with a single click (for some definition of “single click”)
Hashtag macros It is possible.. “read to end-of-line / end-of-toot for alt-text to add”. Another hashtag macro can then be #ALT4YouInfo which shows UI hints for your client when clicked.. “click ‘Edit’ in the top-right corner of the image preview”.
Another more forceful UI behavior might be to make images with missing alt-text default-hidden. Spread that funny meme or comic? Don’t want it to appear blurred? Better add that alt-text then. Philosophically there’s a good point too: You don’t take people with disabilities into account, and we show how that comes across by disabling similarly for the fortunate enabled people you want to reach.
It’s complex, though: screens to add alt-text sometimes don’t work well with keyboard navigation. And sometimes people just don’t have the spoons to add alt-text. These are all aspects of accessibility too! And it interacts badly with the scoldiness that’s all too common in fedi (well not just fedi but it really is a thing) … several times I’ve seen threads where a sighted person was giving a blind person a hard time for not including alt-text, and that’s not good at all.
Seen that too. Bad, indeed. Where I more regularly give more follow-up on using alt-texts is where an organization-related account is involved. And then adding a “people don’t boost when alt-text is missing. Adding alt-texts will give you more engagement” is an extra nudge to turn that into habit.
It is possible.. “read to end-of-line / end-of-toot for alt-text to add”. Another hashtag macro can then be