Specsavers praised for pointing out the problem with the ALT text meme

Specsavers is being praised for a viral post, which reminds people how important ALT text is on social media.

Alt text is intended to be used to make content more accessible for people online, and should contain descriptions and context of images being posted on social media.

The text is read aloud to users by screen reader software, and is crucial to accessing content for many people.

However, a recent trend has seen users instead use the alt text as a means of adding further jokes to memes and images – therefore making the content less accessible.

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In Specsavers tweet the post features an arrow down to the ALT description tag in the bottom left corner and text that reads: "Click here.”

The ALT text then reads: “The image says ‘click here’ with an arrow pointing to the ALT description tag in the bottom left corner.

“Side note for everybody:

“Many Twitter users, including brands, have been using this to prompt people to open the ALT text, where they have left a joke.

Twitter/Specsavers

“ALT text is a hugely important accessibility tool designed to help people navigate the internet more easily, so it shouldn't be used as a punchline. This is especially true if the ALT text doesn't describe the image, leaving blind and visually impaired people out of the joke.”

The post received wide-spread praise and support from users, with one writing: “A few brands could learn from specsavers in more ways than one! this is awesome.”

Another one wrote: “Good one Thanks for showing other brands how to really use the ALT text field, @Specsavers.”

“YES!!! I’m in complete agreement with what you’ve put there,” one more wrote.

A user added: “Love this. Accessibility for everyone. Well done SpecsSavers.”

“Thank you so much. I have been calling this out this afternoon as I see them. So disappointing to see a misuse of an important accessibility feature,” one more commented.

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