I don't know who needs to hear this, but if you're yelling at a person on Fedi for not using #AltText, stop.
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@divVerent I never boost images/videos without alt-text, and I don't think others should either. In fact, I have non-alt-texted posts hidden behind CWs, so I don't even see them (kinda like blind folx).
But if I do get one brought to my attention (like when folx mention me), I'll ask them or altbot to add alt-text first, before I boost it.
@alice Then this is something we disagree on.
But also it's rather seldom anyway that I ever see an alt-text-free image and decide to boost it. Admittedly it's more frequently that I boost before having checked if it has any.
How do I put non-alt-texted posts behind CW on Mastodon and Misskey?
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@alice @altbot I never used #AltText in my post.
. Why we need #AltText for a simple image like I'm wearing white t-shirt 
red cap š§¢ with black hair & sitting on chair. #AltText should be written for very complicated stuff. I also noticed that almost every person on Mastodon mention detailed text about profile picture
@GOKUSHRM because a good 10% of Fedi can't see the images at all for various reasons, and when you don't write even simple alt-text, you exclude them from participating in the community.
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@miclgael @alice @alexadeswift
oh yeah well may your every meet with Malenia, Blade Of Miquella result in an easy win
@benroyce deep cut.
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@alice For many years I had issues writing descriptions after a TBI, worsened brain fog from long COVID, that has only really recently started to abate. I felt like I was being punished for not being able to write alt text, even though I was doing my best. I had to basically rely on a few friends to help me on Fedi, because Alt4Me was sometimes unreliable.
I felt like I was being blamed for something that genuinely was not my fault. I felt like people often didn't even believe me, either. I got a ton of ableist shit tossed my way.
The thing is, I lived with a deafblind roommate for years. I know how important this is.
It got to the point I just... quit posting images sometimes... cause I'd have days where it was like, "I can't write a description for this, and my friends who'd write a description aren't around rn."
And tbh I never want to feel like that again.
I hope others read what you wrote and understand. I get not boosting posts without alt text... just... wish people would realise... it's usually not even malice, it's just forgetfulness, or often inability.
@Elizafox š«
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@benroyce I really want to slip in a "that's what she said" joke, but it hardly seems on point.
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@alice Incidentally I have no idea why this has begun to abate, they told me that this shit would probably never get better. *shrugs*
Neuroplasticity is wild.
@Elizafox I'm so sorry, but I'm glad to hear it's healing
ļøāš©¹ I really hope it doesn't interfere with your happiness too much. -
@PhoenixSerenity @alice @altbot and the ones who deliberately don't because they think it provides training data to LLMs
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I don't know who needs to hear this, but if you're yelling at a person on Fedi for not using #AltText, stop. Please.
Should you use alt-text? Yes!
Should you boost posts without alt-text? No!
Should you yell at companies and bots who don't use alt-text? Fuck yeah!
Should you try your best to make Fedi a more accessible, and safe place for everyoneāincluding those who have trouble writing alt-text? Of course.
Should you mention @altbot or #Alt4Me *occasionally* so folx know they're both wonderful tools that can help make Fedi a more inclusive place? It would be impolite not to.
Butāand let me make this clearādon't be a dick to folx who forget alt-text, or who have trouble writing it for whatever reason; it's not very punk of you.
@alice Thank you for offering visibility on altbot. I'll try to use it when needed.
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@alice @altbot I yell at people using slop generated alt text when it doesn't actually do the job of being alt text. I once saw alt text for an image that had a bunch of cross gravestones like the Master of Puppets album art and the alt text was literally just a bunch of repeating plus signs. I'm not sure how that helps anyone.
@disorderlyf that's worth criticizing. I'm all for AI alt-text if it's good, and even simple alt-text is better than none, but that sounds actively malicious.
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@benroyce I really want to slip in a "that's what she said" joke, but it hardly seems on point.
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@alice Then this is something we disagree on.
But also it's rather seldom anyway that I ever see an alt-text-free image and decide to boost it. Admittedly it's more frequently that I boost before having checked if it has any.
How do I put non-alt-texted posts behind CW on Mastodon and Misskey?
@divVerent I'm using Moshidon, and there's a setting to hide non-alt-texted posts, as well as one to stop you from accidentally posting or boosting images without alt-text.
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I don't know who needs to hear this, but if you're yelling at a person on Fedi for not using #AltText, stop. Please.
Should you use alt-text? Yes!
Should you boost posts without alt-text? No!
Should you yell at companies and bots who don't use alt-text? Fuck yeah!
Should you try your best to make Fedi a more accessible, and safe place for everyoneāincluding those who have trouble writing alt-text? Of course.
Should you mention @altbot or #Alt4Me *occasionally* so folx know they're both wonderful tools that can help make Fedi a more inclusive place? It would be impolite not to.
Butāand let me make this clearādon't be a dick to folx who forget alt-text, or who have trouble writing it for whatever reason; it's not very punk of you.
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@divVerent I'm using Moshidon, and there's a setting to hide non-alt-texted posts, as well as one to stop you from accidentally posting or boosting images without alt-text.
@alice Yeah - seems none of my instances seem to have such a feature, and I definitely am not gonna run my own.
On Desktop I may be able to do something using uBlock Origin rules, but on mobile (Subway Tooter) I can't.
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@Elizafox I'm so sorry, but I'm glad to hear it's healing
ļøāš©¹ I really hope it doesn't interfere with your happiness too much.@alice Ehhhh... nah. It doesn't.
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@alice Ehhhh... nah. It doesn't.
@alice I mean sometimes it sucks but like, I realise I can't change it, so why get mad?
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@alice @altbot given that the majority of people are on the feddy because they have a problem with authority or people trying to control how they use things, it is literally the exactly wrong demographic to try to yell at people to change their behavior. Instead, appeal to their anti-authoritarian tendencies by pointing out how shitty mainstream social media spaces are to disabled people and you know this cool way people can stick it to Zuckerberg and Elon, and it just takes 10 seconds to do.
@JoscelynTransient @alice @altbot
I have written alt text as my reply to posts lacking alt text.
So far, no negative responses from the original poster, and several positive responses.
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@GOKUSHRM because a good 10% of Fedi can't see the images at all for various reasons, and when you don't write even simple alt-text, you exclude them from participating in the community.
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I don't know who needs to hear this, but if you're yelling at a person on Fedi for not using #AltText, stop. Please.
Should you use alt-text? Yes!
Should you boost posts without alt-text? No!
Should you yell at companies and bots who don't use alt-text? Fuck yeah!
Should you try your best to make Fedi a more accessible, and safe place for everyoneāincluding those who have trouble writing alt-text? Of course.
Should you mention @altbot or #Alt4Me *occasionally* so folx know they're both wonderful tools that can help make Fedi a more inclusive place? It would be impolite not to.
Butāand let me make this clearādon't be a dick to folx who forget alt-text, or who have trouble writing it for whatever reason; it's not very punk of you.
@alice @altbot
I suppose you could always point it out in a kind way?
It's easy to edit a post that didn't have alt text later on.
Me personally, I try to always include it, but if I'm on the go and working on my phone it's a real pain to type (I have a spot of carpal tunnel syndrome from playing too much guitar) so perhaps I would maybe go back and add the ALT-txt later on, when I'm back on a keyboard. Just some food for thought -
thank you
there are voices on the fediverse that speak with rank entitlement
they believe they can approach someone, treat them poorly, and get something out of them
no
you act nicely, you act kind, you say thank you
and you may change their behavior
you also may not
but if you treat someone poorly, you definitely won't change their behavior
some of you out there:
think about where this massive sense of entitlement you have comes from
and fix it
please and thank you
@benroyce @alice itās already allergy season, so I may be wrong, but this smells a bit like respectability politics in the context of disability. Is anybody āentitledā to level access or ramps instead of stairs? What does the word āentitledā mean in that context?
This is absolutely a topic that involves conflicting access needs, between blind people and those with few spoons for writing alt text for whatever reason. Thatās where encouraging the Alt4Me hashtag makes a lot of sense, but thereās also the question of whether anybody is āentitledā to post images, video or audio.
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@benroyce @alice itās already allergy season, so I may be wrong, but this smells a bit like respectability politics in the context of disability. Is anybody āentitledā to level access or ramps instead of stairs? What does the word āentitledā mean in that context?
This is absolutely a topic that involves conflicting access needs, between blind people and those with few spoons for writing alt text for whatever reason. Thatās where encouraging the Alt4Me hashtag makes a lot of sense, but thereās also the question of whether anybody is āentitledā to post images, video or audio.
@MostlyBlindGamer @benroyce @alice I help people mostly the blind IRL but if I can't I'm sorry I can't and as you said is one entitled even depending what he posts? I find it good that it exist on the major used platforms for disabled people but nothing can be reached 100% and mostly not in a space where everybody hates AI
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