Facebook the next generation of your tool automatic alt text (AAT), with which you attach a more detailed and accurate description of the images that appear on the social network so that blind or visually impaired people they can also know its content.
The new generation of AAT recognize more objects in the photos that are shared on Facebook and Instagram. Specifically, the number of objects has increased tenfold since the tool was first introduced in 2016. As a result, there will be less photos without description.
The descriptions offered by this tool are also now more detailed, as the company explains on its official website. This is because existing categories of objects and concepts have been expanded and new ones added.
In addition, the new AAT has the ability to recognize activities, landmarks and types of animals, allowing to generate more complete descriptions, such as “Selfie of 2 people, outdoors, the Leaning Tower of Pisa”.
Facebook improved the depth and detail of photo descriptions for the blind and visually impaired.
The information it offers also allows know precisely the location and the relative size of the elements that appear in the images. This means that instead of offering a description of the type “it can be an image of five people”, the tool specifies that it is an image of two people in the center and three others located to the sides.
From Facebook they point out that “together, these advances help blind or visually impaired users to better understand what is in the photos published by their family and friends, and in their own photos, by providing more and more detailed information)”.
The descriptions are written in a simple way, avoiding long sentences. The company acknowledges that “it is not poetic, but it is very functional.” In this way, it facilitates the reading of the descriptions and their translation into 45 different languages.
The AAT is available for photos of the news section, profile and groups From Facebook. Also for photos opened in detail mode (where the image appears full screen and the background is black).
On Instagram, the AAT is available for feed, profile, and Instagram Explore photos.
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