so basicly, im good girl

[sodiboo@gaysex.cloud]

so basicly, im good girl

RE: https://gaysex.cloud/notes/a7mr7kn1iezh0k4a

[lyrial@transfem.social]

@sodiboo@gaysex.cloud I need to be frank here. While amazing for the disabled, alt text is a giant gate keeper for people joining and engaging in the fediverse (specifically Misskey and Mastodon). Most people just want to post a meme, video, or picture to any kind of social media. They don't want to have to figure out 1) alt text is a thing 2) how to do it, or 3) how to do it without someone you don't know raging at you because you failed to do it properly. This whole concept is both a huge win, and a huge fail for the fediverse.

[sodiboo@gaysex.cloud]

@lyrial@transfem.social this is just a stats post. I'm not dictating "Thy Account Shalt Look Like This".

I largely agree with you.

however, since you're replying to just some post of mine that wasn't trying to make a point, I'll keep share with you an anecdote:

I used to be very active on Twitter. In the circles I was in, alt text was the norm. I enjoyed writing alt text, even back then. I got conditioned to it, because I personally found it easy and even fun.

alt text is a giant gate keeper for people joining and engaging in the fediverse

so, for me, this wasn't a thing. straight up. the attitude is somewhat more prevalent here, but it was absolutely not new or surprising. "this is how social media has always been like for me".

While amazing for the disabled,

While amazing for the disabled indeed, they are also great for the sighted. I've always had alt text readily available on my social media, so i've come to expect and rely on alt text. I'm not disabled in any way that affects my eyesight, but I value alt texts for my own use. This is the popular opinion, and it's not just gatekeeping.

I do in some sense gatekeep with alt text though; I don't try not to posts without alt text and will at times call out my friends if I expect better of them.

Most people just want to post a meme, video, or picture [...] without someone you don't know raging at you because you failed to do [alt text] properly.

And that's okay. Sometimes, these memes will be funny enough that I feel the need to share them anyways. I'll add alt text to these memes. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

What I would never do is yell at someone who is a complete stranger for not providing alt text in a post that has nothing to do with me. If I don't have the spoons to add my alt text, I just won't boost it.

This whole concept is both a huge win, and a huge fail for the fediverse.

Maybe. Maybe not. I'm not trying to make a point about the fediverse as a whole in this reply, but this is my experience.