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Re: Alt text for images

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From: Jeremy Echols
Date: Sep 21, 2020 4:51PM

It's worth noting that many CMSes let you reuse the same image in different contexts, but they also reuse the alt attribute. We run Drupal for pretty a huge number of our pages, and this is a constant problem. A general-purpose "stock"-like photo of a student can be used for so many purposes, and when the CMS tries to force a single alt text on you, it becomes a huge pain.

Hopefully large companies with hundreds of thousands of images have the staffing to describe those images in context, every time they're used. If not, it may be best to make sure the copy describes whatever the image is there for, and just give the images a null alt attribute (alt="").

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Sandy Feldman
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2020 11:09
To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >; Radhika Takyar < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Alt text for images

Hey Radhika,

If you are using WordPress to handle the huge data assets you can use the "attachment details" window in the Media Library to add meta data to each asset.

The "description" field lets you add all kinds of information that will not show up, either visibly or audibly. It's a very good spot to put the information that will help you find the asset again. So, for example, text like "AGM 2019" and "Annual Report 2020". Or, really, anything that will make likely search terms.

I think alt text needs to be added one image at a time by a human. The AI alt text I've seen, so far, is not  good enough to provide a real alternative.

Add the alt to the attachment details in the media library. You'll have a chance to change it when you add the image to a page. (Important note
- changing the alt text in the media library will have NO impact on the alt in a page once the image is up there.)

I hope that helps,

--
Sandy
sandyfeldman.com

On 2020-09-21 12:41 p.m., Radhika Takyar wrote:
> Happy Monday!
>
> Just wanted to check on how does big companies who have huge data assets/ images with text handle Alt text for images? Any thoughts ?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Regards,
> Radhika
>
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