The ALT text tool makes images and GIFs more accessible to blind and partially sighted people.
The feature, which previously had to be turned on manually in the platform’s accessibility settings, will now be visible to everyone when posting photos and GIFs on the website.
In a tweet announcing the news, Twitter said: “Adding descriptions to images is a great way to include everyone in your conversation. These descriptions, aka alt-text, enable folks who use screen readers to interpret images in Tweets.
“Starting today, you no longer need a setting to add alt text and it’s available on [mobile] & [desktop].”
Adding descriptions to images is a great way to include everyone in your conversation. These descriptions, aka alt-text, enable folks who use screen readers to interpret images in Tweets. Starting today, you no longer need a setting to add alt text and it's available on 📱 & 💻. pic.twitter.com/wRDJZwSihL
— Twitter Accessibility (@TwitterA11y) May 27, 2020
The update has received a positive response from disabled people and organisations, with the disability charity Scope UK’s Big Hack account tweeting: “Hallelujah! Thank you @TwitterA11y!”
It follows an earlier announcement from Twitter that the limit for alt-text descriptions had been increased from 420 to 1,000 characters, and that short, automatic alt-text would be generated for most GIFs posted on the platform.
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