#accessible internet

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Maybe it has a caption like “squad goals.” Maybe the caption is about something you’d really like to see, like “my dog poses like this on command.” So you’re feeling a little frustrated, but you keep scrolling.

And again, the next image is just this:

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Weird, you think. It happens again and again.

So you make a post, or you reach out to friends. “Hey,” you say. “Could you maybe explain what’s happening in your photos?” But Tumblr’s a huge place and nobody really pays attention. Some of your Facebook friends try, but others don’t, and every new friend you make on Facebook, you have to go through this whole script again. “Hey, I can’t see images, can you please add image descriptions?”

And still, your daily experience of using the internet looks like this:

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How long would you continue using Tumblr, if this was your regular experience? How many people would you un-friend on Facebook who never got into the habit of adding image descriptions?

[image: a block of gray with black text that reads: “alt text unavailable for this image.”]

This is what many screen readers say aloud when an image is provided without an additional description. 

You might think that you don’t have any blind followers or friends on Facebook, and so adding image descriptions doesn’t apply to you. And even though I guarantee that adding image descriptions will help some of your friends and followers even if you don’t know it, I’ll say this: you don’t know what followers-of-followers, or friends-of-friends, could benefit from image descriptions.

Saying “But I don’t know any blind people!” is the same as saying “I don’t have blind friends and I never intend to have blind friends.” Because if you ever make a new friend who needs image descriptions, your whole shit is gonna be inaccessible to them.

Adding image descriptions is the ethical thing to do. If every able-bodied person did it, the internet would be a much more accessible, inclusive space for everyone. You (hi! yes, you, hello!) should get into the habit of describing the images you share, if you don’t already. I can’t put it more succinctly than that.