Why YSK: If you want to make Lemmy a more accessible place for all, you need to know how to add labels (aka: “alt text”) to embedded images

As many of you are already aware, you can embed images in comments using the following markdown: ![](https://example.com/image.jpg).

That works, but the image will be left unlabeled which leaves screenreader users out of the conversation. This may seem like a theoretical problem, but it’s not – Lemmy already has an active blind community: https://rblind.com/

So, here’s what you can do to add labels when embedding images:

![Earth viewed from the Moon](https://example.com/image.jpg)

That’s it! Any text within the [] becomes “alt text”, which is what screenreaders use for describing images. It’s a small thing, but it makes a world of difference.

Remember: Reddit took something from many of us here. For some, it was a mobile app. For others, it was the ability to operate their own communities. Comment with solidarity; use alt-text.

  • Arthur Besse@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    ![Dude, sweet](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/f19cc921c5d2ab5c1c928088f515a330-1200-80.jpg)

    that is not how to use alt text.

    it should actually be a description of the image, for blind people.

    also, web users who aren’t using some accessibility tool can’t even see it without right-clicking and inspecting the element or clicking lemmy’s “view source” button (as i just did to quote your comment here). so, please don’t use alt text for things other than descriptions of images!