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Here's why we need #AltText for profile pictures on the #fediverse!

"AI" alt text is notoriously unreliable and can't give context, so even when it isn't wrong, it's still not helpful: "Appears to be: Taika Waititi" makes no sense when my name is Laura and you don't know who Taika is or that my picture is from a TV show. If fedi had let *me* describe the pic, this wouldn't have been an issue, but as it is, @fastfinge was understandably confused!

https://fed.interfree.ca/notes/9zsgp2nsk2etr8hb

#accessibility

Note by @fastfinge - Iceshrimp.NET

fed.interfree.ca
#fediverse #accessibility #AltText @fastfinge
This entry was edited (5 days ago)
in reply to Laura 🏴‍☠️🏳️‍🌈

BeAware :fediverse:
BeAware :fediverse:
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strange, I've never seen AI write a short thing like "appears to be ****" with no added context...every alt text I've ever added to an image here is AI and all of them have context.
in reply to BeAware :fediverse:

fastfinge
fastfinge
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What model are you using? Alt text generation in edge and chrome use an extremely small one because they generate alt text for every image on a page in realtime as it loads.
in reply to BeAware :fediverse:

fastfinge
fastfinge
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That’d be why. ChatGPT is too slow and pricy for screen readers to use regularly. In fact, both Apple and Firefox use on device AI to generate missing alt text in the browser for screen readers.
in reply to fastfinge

BeAware :fediverse:
BeAware :fediverse:
• •
and that'd be why the alt text is crap. It sucks that this is an example of "you get what you pay for" because I believe everyone should have the best accessibility regardless of price, but that's how it is unfortunately.
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