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

for

From: Robert Fentress
Date: Feb 14, 2017 6:37AM

Hi, Karl.

My thought was that FB could put screen reader-only text within that link
that reads "view/comment on cover photo" or something like that but,
really, you should be able to edit the alternative text for images anywhere
they appear. All that is academic though, since none of that is currently
within the user's control.

Best,
Rob

On Tue, Feb 14, 2017 at 5:40 AM, Karl Brown < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Hi Robert,
>
> For the cover photo, maybe changing the default to "cover photo" as that
> seems to be where the anchor goes (though that itself is hardly descriptive
> or of fully equivalent purpose). Alternatively give authors the option of
> changing where the URL points to and pulling the alt attribute value from
> there?
>
> On Mon, Feb 13, 2017 at 5:02 PM, Emma Duke-Williams <
> <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
> > Doh! Never thought of that - I thought they'd have put it somewhere
> > visible to all, rather than just those who know what they're doing.
> >
> > Emma
> >
> > On 13 February 2017 at 16:47, Robert Fentress < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> > > 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
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Emma Duke-Williams:
> >
> > Blog: http://emmadukewilliams.co.uk
> > Twitter: http://twitter.com/emmadw
> > > > > > > > > >
>
>
>
> --
> Karl Brown
> Twitter: @kbdevelops
> Skype: kbdevelopment
>
> Professional Certificate Web Accessibility Compliance (Distinction),
> University of South Australia, 2015
> > > > >



--
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