ADA compliance: images need alt tags

[djbaxter]

To be in compliance with the ADA, when uploading images, need to have alt tag added automatically or require it to be added when the image is uploaded.

 

[btmgreg]

So a solution could be to auto-insert an alt tag for each image unless specified - maybe using the thread title with variations for each incrementation.

ADA compliance: images need alt tags
ADA compliance: images need alt tags 01
ADA compliance: images need alt tags 02

 

[Mendalla]

Just have it prompt for an alt text when someone uploads an image. Maybe pre-populate it with the image name. I am a bit surprised this has not been addressed before (and maybe it has and my ignorance is showing). Most of the provincial accessibility guidelines in Canada (e.g. AODA here in Ontario) suggest or mandate it, too, IIRC. Makes screen readers more effective and efficient.

 

[Mr Lucky]

So a solution could be to auto-insert an alt tag for each image unless specified - maybe using the thread title with variations for each incrementation.

ADA compliance: images need alt tags
ADA compliance: images need alt tags 01
ADA compliance: images need alt tags 02

It's sort of a half solution. We do need the user to add a relevant tag, which the thread title may or may not be. But it's definitely a start and better than nothing.

 

[btmgreg]

It's sort of a half solution. We do need the user to add a relevant tag, which the thread title may or may not be. But it's definitely a start and better than nothing.

I agree. But there will be plenty of people that have no idea what the function serves, and some who just don't care. I wonder if there's a way to apply alt tags through machine learning. Say if you have a picture of a red car, the alt tag would then be 'Red car'. Food for thought.

 

[Mr Lucky]

Say if you have a picture of a red car, the alt tag would then be 'Red car'. Food for thought.

That would be cool.

Unless you have a picture of a blue bike in Redcar.

(And of course nearby Scunthorpe may always cause problems)

 

[Ludachris]

ADA compliance is becoming a major issue now that forum owners and bloggers are being targeted for lawsuits from ambulance chasing law firms. I know of two who recently were targeted. Hopefully Xenforo will make this a priority.

 

[Mendalla]

ADA compliance is becoming a major issue now that forum owners and bloggers are being targeted for lawsuits from ambulance chasing law firms. I know of two who recently were targeted. Hopefully Xenforo will make this a priority.

It should not be about avoiding lawsuits. It should be about being considerate to people who might be interested in our forums who require it. My writing site has a longtime, very respected member (a US Army veteran) who requires a screen reader and has problems with images if people don't include explanatory text since their software does not support alt tags either. I need to do an audit of my own site to see what I can improve, to be honest, so I am probably as guilty as anyone.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Ideally endusers can describe the image as they upload. Of course most wont. Of course it can be abused. Moderators and above should have the ability to easily view and edit alt tags. The alt tags should be searchable via native xenforo search.

I don't know if it would help is the website name was in the tags to help image searchers know where the image was from ?

It might be useful to populate good alt tags from the thread title and forum - for those that refuse to type in a description or that the file doesnt have a useful description. I usually name my files very well, but that might not be a common practice.



Maybe this alt tag would be:
suggestions ADA compliance images alt tags xenforo.com
suggestions ADA compliance images alt tags djbaxter xenforo.com
suggestions ADA compliance images alt tags 183775 xenforo.com (thread number)
suggestions ADA compliance images alt tags 65066 xenforo.com (member number)
or just the entire thread name: XenForo suggestions ADA compliance: images need alt tags

Most posts with an image upload are likely just one image.
Maybe on the des

Should you also allow tags on images ?

And of course, while thinking about images:

(1) allow image only thread types. (A new content type)

(2) allow me to upload an image to a thread but to also automatically post the same image to Media Gallery. (or maybe even NOT post the image to the thread, but the upload images gets auto inserted into Media Gallery and the image displayed in the post is a media gallery embed).

(3) Ultimately Images should be more deeply embedded into Xenforo threads. Arguably Facebook, Instagram, and many other sites really became popular by doing a good job of images. And as we know, people love looking at images, even Reddit has capitalized on this by having "image only browswing" options.

 

[ProCom]

I'm watching this thread as I've also heard of legal firms taking advantage of site owners that are trying to do their best for their site-visitors, but are getting threatened with lawsuits if they don't hand over cash.

You can also do some Google searches for " "Pacific Trial Attorneys" + ADA " to see some articles on the legal issues involved.

Relying solely on members to add alt tags isn't going to be super reliable. This also doesn't take into account potentially decades worth of millions of images uploaded over the life of a forum.

So, ya, I understand the "intent" of the laws, but to go after a forum owner because an image uploaded by a user 10 years ago doesn't have proper alt tags... seems like a bit extreme, deviates from the intent, and adds another layer of demotivation for people to create content-rich and helpful websites.

 

[m1ne]

Many images do not need ALT text as they would serve no purpose.
There is also no concrete standard for ADA compliance either. If you make a good faith effort to be compliant, you'll be safe.
One of my tasks with the company I work for is to make websites ADA compliant to WCAG 2.0 AA standards. Not a required standard but a good one.

 

[Mr Lucky]

Many images do not need ALT text as they would serve no purpose.

What is the situation in which alt tags serve no purpose. I would there is no need on a private forum, but the purpose of alt tags seems to me twofold, which is to tell search engines what the image is for and hopefully it fits in with the text around it, and also for screen readers.

The Search engine part is may not so useful if an image is just a stupid meme in a post with no text, but still useful for accessibility, e.g. anyone who has impaired vision and using a screen reader to help follow a thread.

 

[Forsaken]

What is the situation in which alt tags serve no purpose. I would there is no need on a private forum, but the purpose of alt tags seems to me twofold, which is to tell search engines what the image is for and hopefully it fits in with the text around it, and also for screen readers.

The Search engine part is may not so useful if an image is just a stupid meme in a post with no text, but still useful for accessibility, e.g. anyone who has impaired vision and using a screen reader to help follow a thread.

AI chatbots can infer an alarming amount of info about you from your responses

This troubling ability could be used by scammers or to target ads.

arstechnica.com

Using the header of this as an example... What meaningful description relating to the article could you write to properly explain its purpose to someone who cannot see?

Alt text is a double edge sword; the intent behind it is to make things more usable and accessible to the blind, however most people do not even do a good job at writing those descriptions.

It is also extremely difficult to describe something visual to someone who no longer has a concept of vision. My stepdad has been fully blind for the majority of his life, and no longer really has a concept of colors, or how things look. Much of vision is intuitive due to how our brains work, so explaining such things in a meaningful way is almost impossible; it is even more difficult when something is completely foreign or unfamiliar.

Most alt text tends to be very generic (such as eyes in the article I listed), or "man in a white shirt" (which is generated by Word for a headshot in a template I had to do for a project). Then you will have very verbose descriptions that attempt to be helpful but are frustrating because screenreaders will then get stuck reading a paragraph.

I have actually had to write a small script for my stepdad (and some other blind people he knows) to automatically skip alt text as it really serves no purpose to them.