I don't know who needs to hear this, but if you're yelling at a person on Fedi for not using #AltText, stop.

[alice@lgbtqia.space]

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 everyone—including 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.

But—and let me make this clear—don'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.

[joscelyntransient@chaosfem.tw]

@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.

[mungencakes@kolektiva.social]

@alice @altbot
Want to increase accessibility? Reply to the toot with the text-less image with alt text for that image. There. You made that image accessible without being a dick. You did it. You made an example of yourself. You made things better. Yourself.

[mastodonmigration@mastodon.online]

@alice @altbot

Basically telling other people how they should be using Mastodon is not cool unless they are violating some instance rule.

You always have the option of muting them or blocking them so you don't have to endure whatever offense you perceive they are perpetrating.

Now, fully realize telling people not to tell people how to use Mastodon is kind of telling people how to use Mastodon. So it's a conundrum, but generally agree with Alice. Please don't be a Mastodon HOA enforcer.

[keremgoart@mstdn.social]

@alice @altbot THANK YOU VERY MUCH

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@alice @altbot

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

[mikal@sfba.social]

@alice @altbot

Even if you're not the target of a scold, seeing someone scolding others is an icky vibe.

I think we've all seen someone adding alt text as a comment in a way that instead of feeling friendly and helpful, feels passive-aggressive. At the same time, some people might take offense unnecessarily, even when none is intended. I think in general adding alt text to someone else's image without being asked it's an okay practice, but has to be done very carefully.

[alexadeswift@lgbtqia.space]

@benroyce

I have only ever done this once, and even then I didn't yell. A Tooter asked for their toot to be boosted, however the image didn't have alt text and my reply was that I would love to boost the toot, however, without alt text I couldn't and then explained about screen readers etc.

The Tooter put alt text on and I boosted!

All the others who just post without alt text? Likes and replies only.

@alice @altbot

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@alexadeswift @alice @altbot

that's the way to do it!

[alexadeswift@lgbtqia.space]

@benroyce

I try my best, unfortunately autism sometimes can get in the way and make me act like an arsehole though!

@alice @altbot

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@alexadeswift @alice @altbot

you have nothing to explain to me. i can be a major asshole

[alice@lgbtqia.space]

@Mikal yeah, good rule of thumb is to try to be helpful, not haughty.

[rayotron@mstdn.social]

@alice @altbot

It's been pointed out a couple of times that I'd forgotten to add alt-text. I fixed it and appreciated that it had been brought to my attention. One person who corrected me was visually impaired and had every right to.

Those people were polite and I feel they were right for letting me know. That being said, I have seen snarky alt-text nazis and they really do suck.

[alexadeswift@lgbtqia.space]

@benroyce

Major Arsehole and Big Shit goes together like Peaches & Cream, and can be very cathartic when targeted with surgical precision!

@alice @altbot

[odddev@floss.social]

@alice @altbot May I offer you a feature request in these trying times?
https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/26464

[nilz@norden.social]

@alice @altbot@fuzzies.wtf

[alice@lgbtqia.space]

@benroyce @alexadeswift ah Fedi, bringing unintentional assholes together since 2016 🥰

[h3mmy@lgbtqia.space]

@alexadeswift
I occasionally come across posts without any text that I would love to boost, and so I take this approach. Because it's true that I would love to boost it but I won't if there's no alt text.

I'm often not the only one. And sometimes there will be a commenter that maybe even made an attempt to supply the original poster with alt text. It's generally been quite effective (except in maybe two cases I'm aware of)

I'm only mean or degrading to people when they've explicitly asked for it (usually in a kink context).
@benroyce @alice @altbot

[alexadeswift@lgbtqia.space]

@alice

So so true 🤩

@benroyce

[mirabilos@toot.mirbsd.org]

@altbot @alice altbot is AI slop and makes things worse for everyone.

Aye to the rest. alt4me is great.