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Re: Dealing with Facebook's problematic automatic alt text generation (and other issues)

for

From: Robert Fentress
Date: Feb 13, 2017 9:47AM

Emma,

In Chrome, I simply right-click on the image and choose "Inspect" in the
context menu that appears. This opens a code view where I can see the alt
attribute of the image for the rendered page view. Similar functionality
exists in Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari (if enabled). Hope I
understood your question correctly.

-Rob

On Mon, Feb 13, 2017 at 11:41 AM, Emma Duke-Williams <
<EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> A quick query - how do you see the suggested alt text? I've never seen
> it. I use Facebook set to UK English, if that makes a difference - I
> know they sometimes roll out updates by region.
>
> I'd agree, from a pure usage point of view, that it's easier to get
> descriptions on images in the album creation mode, than in the upload
> an image.
>
> Emma
>
> On 13 February 2017 at 16:06, Robert Fentress < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> > Hello, all.
> >
> > I'm curious if folks have developed strategies for dealing with
> Facebook's
> > automatic alt text generation. As many of you probably know, Facebook
> now
> > analyzes images uploaded into its system and automatically generates text
> > alternatives for those images. This is great for when your average user,
> > who is unlikely to ever provide an alternative, uploads images. However,
> > for those who are actually trying to do things properly, this is
> > problematic, since there is no way (that I've been able to determine yet)
> > for editing these text alternatives, and they are frequently inadequate
> or
> > incorrect, or Facebook just adds alt text saying they couldn't make heads
> > nor tails of the image.
> >
> > Currently, I'm recommending the following and wonder if it comports with
> > what others are doing or recommending:
> >
> > 1. Upload image to an album.
> > 2. Examine the automatically-generated alt text to see if it is
> adequate.
> > 3. If so, you're done. If not, continue to next step.
> > 4. Add a brief description below the image in the album, where it
> says,
> > "Say something about this photo..."
> > 5. From there, if necessary, share the photo to your timeline. This
> is
> > recommended, rather than uploading the image directly from your
> timeline,
> > because, if you upload to your album and add the description there,
> when
> > you share to your timeline, the description comes over with the
> image, but
> > there is still a place for you to add text for your post that is
> separate
> > from the description. So, the post text can be different from your
> image
> > text alternative and the alternative text is in one place in your
> album.
> >
> > A problem with this is that the actual image alt attribute is still
> > incorrect or inadequate. Should one say so in the description?
> >
> > Another issue I've encountered is that, for Pages, one cannot add alt
> text
> > to the cover photo and Facebook automatically sets the alt attribute of
> > this image to null. This may be the best default solution, since that
> > cover photo is often purely decorative. However, the problem is that
> that
> > image is also wrapped in an anchor tag and is the only content of that
> > link. This causes the href of the anchor tag to be read. I haven't been
> > able to come up with a workaround for that one. Ideas?
> >
> > Obviously there are other problems with FB architecturally, but I'm
> > focusing on strategies for content creators/editors and trying to deal
> with
> > the things we have some control over.
> >
> > Other strategies recommended in that regard, for Pages in Facebook,
> include:
> >
> > - Host any videos on YouTube (captioned, of course, with described
> > versions, as appropriate) and link to them from within Facebook,
> rather
> > than uploading videos to Facebook directly, since, among other
> things, FB's
> > video player has poor keyboard support.
> > - If images of flyers advertising events are uploaded, include links
> to
> > accessible PDFs and Word docs (if available) of the flyers as well,
> and
> > make sure info in flyer image is replicated in post content.
> > - Provide an alternate channel for users to access content, such as
> > cross-posting to an accessible blog.
> > - In the About section of the Page
> > - Under Contact Info, add phone, and email, and a link to an
> > accessible contact form.
> > Under Story, include something like:
> > "Facebook Accessibility:
> > https://www.facebook.com/help/273947702950567/?helpref=hc_fnav
> > The Facebook mobile app may provide a more accessible experience
> for
> > some users.
> > Content in this feed can also be found on our blog at:
> > http://our.blog.edu"
> >
> > Anything else folks can think of, focusing on what is within a content
> > creator/editor's control? Thanks!
> >
> > Also, assuming I haven't overlooked anything obvious here, if you agree
> > with me, I'd urge folks to let FB know that they should really add the
> > ability to edit the alt text of images. It seems very strange that they
> > devoted so much time and energy to enabling the automatic text
> > alternatives, but did not provide humans the ability to edit them. Doing
> > that must be trivial, by comparison, don't you think?
> >
> > Best,
> > Rob
> >
> > P.S. Thanks to Queen's University
> > <http://www.queensu.ca/accessibility/how-info/social-media-accessibility
> >
> > for many of these tips.
> >
> > --
> > Robert Fentress
> > Senior Accessibility Solutions Designer
> > 540.231.1255
> >
> > Technology-enhanced Learning & Online Strategies
> > Assistive Technologies
> > 1180 Torgersen Hall
> > 620 Drillfield Drive (0434)
> > Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
> > > > > > > > >
>
>
> --
> Emma Duke-Williams:
>
> Blog: http://emmadukewilliams.co.uk
> Twitter: http://twitter.com/emmadw
> > > > >



--
Robert Fentress
Senior Accessibility Solutions Designer
540.231.1255

Technology-enhanced Learning & Online Strategies
Assistive Technologies
1180 Torgersen Hall
620 Drillfield Drive (0434)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061