Enabling better / more frequent alt-text -- potential feature suggestions

[davekasten]

Hi, Right now, there is no easy way to add alt text to a post after it is complete.
Alt text is important because it, crucially, enables the no-image use cases for a shortform message service like Bluesky, which reaches unique audiences with screen readers or bandwidth constraints that other platforms don't.

There are two potential features that I know are already being suggested by users on threads, and suspect Bluesky team has this on an internal issue tracker, but adding here for legibility:

1. After-the-fact editing: Enable a user to append alt text to a post after they have already published it. I understand that edit features massively expand the complexity here, and pose all sorts of issues with keeping different versions synced in an eventual federated world.
2. Reminders: Allow users to set a preference flag that, if they are uploading an image without alt text, they get prompted (e.g., with an interstitial) to add alt text before the post goes to publishing. This would enable users that want to do alt text, but are human and thus fallible, to reduce their inadvertent non-alt-text-appending rate.

Thanks for listening! Dave

[davekasten]

Noting that feature suggestion 2 here is apparently in process of being rolled out. I don't know from an etiquette perspective here if it makes sense then to close this issue and reopen a new one, so I'm going to leave the open for now, but happy to close if project leadership prefers.

[heikadog]

Now that suggestion 2 is rolled out, I'd like to mention that the current toggle for users to add alt-text requires users to add alt-text to every image. This method of encouraging users to add alt-text to their images does work in theory (and I do think more people should add alt-text to their photos—this take is not anti-accessibility by any means.) However, I think it'd be better from a usability standpoint to show a toggleable reminder before they send the post that explains why users should add alt-text to their photos and gives them the option to opt-out that time if they want, instead of barring users from sending the post unless they add alt-text.

[Paula013]

Actually I did get the mention to add an alt text to an image, I just didnt see any way to do this, on phone app. Therefore the image was posted without alt text

[heikadog]

Actually I did get the mention to add an alt text to an image, I just didnt see any way to do this, on phone app. Therefore the image was posted without alt text

On the phone app, go to your settings, then under Accessibility, you can toggle on "Require alt text on images", if you want that. I was suggesting a more upfront reminder as an interstitial or something instead of a requirement.