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Image Description

The Image type is defined in ActivityStreams Vocabulary.

In this support table, we only consider how the image description, commonly called AltText is handled. Image descriptions are important from an accessibility standpoint, see WCAG 2.2. Text Alternatives.

It seems that certain implementations, e.g. firefish, store the image description on a per image URL basis and not for every instance of an image reference.

Examples

Example 1

activity
{
  "@context": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams",
    {
      "Hashtag": "as:Hashtag",
      "sensitive": "as:sensitive"
    }
  ],
  "type": "Create",
  "actor": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
  "to": [
    "http://mitra/users/admin",
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/LpOrqTAeiYM",
  "object": {
    "type": "Note",
    "attributedTo": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "to": [
      "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
      "http://mitra/users/admin"
    ],
    "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/wI9uznzJK-E",
    "published": "2024-03-31T14:30:21Z",
    "content": "no description",
    "attachment": {
      "type": "Document",
      "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png"
    }
  }
}
bonfire
{
  "canonicalUri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/Qua2tz5pUbc",
  "date": "2024-03-30T18:02:06.000Z",
  "id": "01HT88D89GMX38DHQVSP4E7855",
  "objectPostContent": {
    "htmlBody": "no description"
  },
  "verb": {
    "verbDisplay": "created"
  }
}
mastodon
{
  "id": "112186094865530420",
  "created_at": "2024-03-30T18:39:16.000Z",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "in_reply_to_account_id": null,
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "visibility": "public",
  "language": null,
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/qaDcdcVgcq4",
  "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/qaDcdcVgcq4",
  "replies_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "edited_at": null,
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "muted": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "content": "no description",
  "filtered": [],
  "reblog": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "112186086980725689",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "locked": false,
    "bot": false,
    "discoverable": false,
    "group": false,
    "created_at": "2024-03-30T00:00:00.000Z",
    "note": "",
    "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "avatar": "http://mastodon/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "avatar_static": "http://mastodon/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "header": "http://mastodon/headers/original/missing.png",
    "header_static": "http://mastodon/headers/original/missing.png",
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 28,
    "last_status_at": "2024-03-30",
    "emojis": [],
    "fields": []
  },
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "112186094861508052",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://localhost:2970/system/cache/media_attachments/files/112/186/094/861/508/052/original/e1316d9d8f81b6ea.png",
      "preview_url": "http://localhost:2970/system/cache/media_attachments/files/112/186/094/861/508/052/small/e1316d9d8f81b6ea.png",
      "remote_url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png",
      "preview_remote_url": null,
      "text_url": null,
      "meta": {
        "original": {
          "width": 40,
          "height": 40,
          "size": "40x40",
          "aspect": 1.0
        },
        "small": {
          "width": 40,
          "height": 40,
          "size": "40x40",
          "aspect": 1.0
        }
      },
      "description": null,
      "blurhash": "U580=SuhfQuhuhfkfQfkfQfQfQfQuhfkfQfk"
    }
  ],
  "mentions": [],
  "tags": [],
  "emojis": [],
  "card": null,
  "poll": null
}
mitra
{
  "id": "018e94eb-23d8-06e0-c2b7-440ab219fb87",
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/wI9uznzJK-E",
  "url": null,
  "created_at": "2024-03-31T14:30:21Z",
  "edited_at": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "018e94e6-9c70-19ea-abbc-25876ee1f927",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "actor_id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "created_at": "2024-03-31T14:25:25.104753Z",
    "note": "",
    "avatar": null,
    "header": null,
    "locked": false,
    "mention_policy": "none",
    "bot": false,
    "identity_proofs": [],
    "payment_options": [],
    "fields": [],
    "emojis": [],
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "subscribers_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 23,
    "source": null,
    "role": null,
    "authentication_methods": null,
    "client_config": null
  },
  "content": "no description",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "in_reply_to_account_id": null,
  "reblog": null,
  "visibility": "public",
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "pinned": false,
  "replies_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "018e94eb-23d4-c6a0-86f6-468ec3158071",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://mitra/media/a6bc63913a8abc9e76e76e4c3fee74ce5221b352937cfc881ad41c2eb50356de.png",
      "preview_url": "http://mitra/media/a6bc63913a8abc9e76e76e4c3fee74ce5221b352937cfc881ad41c2eb50356de.png",
      "description": null
    }
  ],
  "mentions": [
    {
      "id": "018e94e5-7d86-cd07-c32b-eec115bb657e",
      "username": "admin",
      "acct": "admin",
      "url": "http://mitra/users/admin"
    }
  ],
  "tags": [],
  "emojis": [],
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "ipfs_cid": null,
  "links": []
}

Example 2

activity
{
  "@context": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams",
    {
      "Hashtag": "as:Hashtag",
      "sensitive": "as:sensitive"
    }
  ],
  "type": "Create",
  "actor": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
  "to": [
    "http://mitra/users/admin",
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/vRMTTw5NGIc",
  "object": {
    "type": "Note",
    "attributedTo": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "to": [
      "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
      "http://mitra/users/admin"
    ],
    "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/fmhMll5HgtI",
    "published": "2024-03-31T14:30:22Z",
    "content": "text",
    "attachment": {
      "type": "Document",
      "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png",
      "name": "name",
      "summary": "summary",
      "content": "content"
    }
  }
}
bonfire
{
  "canonicalUri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/EZwGAyJQVU8",
  "date": "2024-03-30T18:02:11.000Z",
  "id": "01HT88DD5RTYDK5XT4KR9RDFRY",
  "objectPostContent": {
    "htmlBody": "text"
  },
  "verb": {
    "verbDisplay": "created"
  }
}
mastodon
{
  "id": "112186094926118884",
  "created_at": "2024-03-30T18:39:17.000Z",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "in_reply_to_account_id": null,
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "visibility": "public",
  "language": null,
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/TdGga_LMT6Q",
  "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/TdGga_LMT6Q",
  "replies_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "edited_at": null,
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "muted": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "content": "text",
  "filtered": [],
  "reblog": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "112186086980725689",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "locked": false,
    "bot": false,
    "discoverable": false,
    "group": false,
    "created_at": "2024-03-30T00:00:00.000Z",
    "note": "",
    "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "avatar": "http://mastodon/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "avatar_static": "http://mastodon/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "header": "http://mastodon/headers/original/missing.png",
    "header_static": "http://mastodon/headers/original/missing.png",
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 29,
    "last_status_at": "2024-03-30",
    "emojis": [],
    "fields": []
  },
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "112186094922924125",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://localhost:2970/system/cache/media_attachments/files/112/186/094/922/924/125/original/1b68a9fa90ac9c26.png",
      "preview_url": "http://localhost:2970/system/cache/media_attachments/files/112/186/094/922/924/125/small/1b68a9fa90ac9c26.png",
      "remote_url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png",
      "preview_remote_url": null,
      "text_url": null,
      "meta": {
        "original": {
          "width": 40,
          "height": 40,
          "size": "40x40",
          "aspect": 1.0
        },
        "small": {
          "width": 40,
          "height": 40,
          "size": "40x40",
          "aspect": 1.0
        }
      },
      "description": "summary",
      "blurhash": "U7I7%I*0fQ*0*0j[fQj[fQfQfQfQ*0j[fQj["
    }
  ],
  "mentions": [],
  "tags": [],
  "emojis": [],
  "card": null,
  "poll": null
}
mitra
{
  "id": "018e94eb-4aeb-470c-ab7b-94cc3b29c2bf",
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/fmhMll5HgtI",
  "url": null,
  "created_at": "2024-03-31T14:30:22Z",
  "edited_at": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "018e94e6-9c70-19ea-abbc-25876ee1f927",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "actor_id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "created_at": "2024-03-31T14:25:25.104753Z",
    "note": "",
    "avatar": null,
    "header": null,
    "locked": false,
    "mention_policy": "none",
    "bot": false,
    "identity_proofs": [],
    "payment_options": [],
    "fields": [],
    "emojis": [],
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "subscribers_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 24,
    "source": null,
    "role": null,
    "authentication_methods": null,
    "client_config": null
  },
  "content": "text",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "in_reply_to_account_id": null,
  "reblog": null,
  "visibility": "public",
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "pinned": false,
  "replies_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "018e94eb-4ae7-849c-8a7d-2fc8cfafff9e",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://mitra/media/9eae4d25f86e5c6f3fc157fa468e0834e6a3cac4ea45d82658d10898ba8cd8f1.png",
      "preview_url": "http://mitra/media/9eae4d25f86e5c6f3fc157fa468e0834e6a3cac4ea45d82658d10898ba8cd8f1.png",
      "description": "name"
    }
  ],
  "mentions": [
    {
      "id": "018e94e5-7d86-cd07-c32b-eec115bb657e",
      "username": "admin",
      "acct": "admin",
      "url": "http://mitra/users/admin"
    }
  ],
  "tags": [],
  "emojis": [],
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "ipfs_cid": null,
  "links": []
}

Example 3

activity
{
  "@context": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams",
    {
      "Hashtag": "as:Hashtag",
      "sensitive": "as:sensitive"
    }
  ],
  "type": "Create",
  "actor": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
  "to": [
    "http://mitra/users/admin",
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/cATR6iwf8xU",
  "object": {
    "type": "Note",
    "attributedTo": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "to": [
      "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
      "http://mitra/users/admin"
    ],
    "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/K9igrh5b7j4",
    "published": "2024-03-31T14:30:32Z",
    "content": "text",
    "attachment": [
      {
        "type": "Document",
        "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png",
        "name": "name",
        "imageType": "image/jpeg"
      }
    ]
  }
}
bonfire
{
  "canonicalUri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/PYntpPRzzlc",
  "date": "2024-03-30T18:02:15.000Z",
  "id": "01HT88DH2RQTCDS3QTD84Y5HD8",
  "objectPostContent": {
    "htmlBody": "text"
  },
  "verb": {
    "verbDisplay": "created"
  }
}
mastodon
{
  "id": "112186095026332763",
  "created_at": "2024-03-30T18:39:18.000Z",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "in_reply_to_account_id": null,
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "visibility": "public",
  "language": null,
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/EIomjHMsbVo",
  "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/EIomjHMsbVo",
  "replies_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "edited_at": null,
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "muted": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "content": "text",
  "filtered": [],
  "reblog": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "112186086980725689",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "locked": false,
    "bot": false,
    "discoverable": false,
    "group": false,
    "created_at": "2024-03-30T00:00:00.000Z",
    "note": "",
    "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "avatar": "http://mastodon/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "avatar_static": "http://mastodon/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "header": "http://mastodon/headers/original/missing.png",
    "header_static": "http://mastodon/headers/original/missing.png",
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 30,
    "last_status_at": "2024-03-30",
    "emojis": [],
    "fields": []
  },
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "112186094999249198",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://localhost:2970/system/cache/media_attachments/files/112/186/094/999/249/198/original/b6ff6d8807ce343e.png",
      "preview_url": "http://localhost:2970/system/cache/media_attachments/files/112/186/094/999/249/198/small/b6ff6d8807ce343e.png",
      "remote_url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png",
      "preview_remote_url": null,
      "text_url": null,
      "meta": {
        "original": {
          "width": 1548,
          "height": 1548,
          "size": "1548x1548",
          "aspect": 1.0
        },
        "small": {
          "width": 480,
          "height": 480,
          "size": "480x480",
          "aspect": 1.0
        }
      },
      "description": "name",
      "blurhash": "UJC$fp*q55T?}fjFEVw[4?K[RT$l9,O?V?X2"
    }
  ],
  "mentions": [],
  "tags": [],
  "emojis": [],
  "card": null,
  "poll": null
}
mitra
{
  "id": "018e94eb-71f3-7c09-b2f1-7ae21a311535",
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/K9igrh5b7j4",
  "url": null,
  "created_at": "2024-03-31T14:30:32Z",
  "edited_at": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "018e94e6-9c70-19ea-abbc-25876ee1f927",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "actor_id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "created_at": "2024-03-31T14:25:25.104753Z",
    "note": "",
    "avatar": null,
    "header": null,
    "locked": false,
    "mention_policy": "none",
    "bot": false,
    "identity_proofs": [],
    "payment_options": [],
    "fields": [],
    "emojis": [],
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "subscribers_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 25,
    "source": null,
    "role": null,
    "authentication_methods": null,
    "client_config": null
  },
  "content": "text",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "in_reply_to_account_id": null,
  "reblog": null,
  "visibility": "public",
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "pinned": false,
  "replies_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "018e94eb-71f0-0b4d-c7d5-ca675df82d09",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://mitra/media/2d7a61d31393a44edf2a30160cdd70b3582a4f97d5b550f8141dfee1641b4ae7.png",
      "preview_url": "http://mitra/media/2d7a61d31393a44edf2a30160cdd70b3582a4f97d5b550f8141dfee1641b4ae7.png",
      "description": "name"
    }
  ],
  "mentions": [
    {
      "id": "018e94e5-7d86-cd07-c32b-eec115bb657e",
      "username": "admin",
      "acct": "admin",
      "url": "http://mitra/users/admin"
    }
  ],
  "tags": [],
  "emojis": [],
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "ipfs_cid": null,
  "links": []
}

Example 4

activity
{
  "@context": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams",
    {
      "Hashtag": "as:Hashtag",
      "sensitive": "as:sensitive"
    }
  ],
  "type": "Create",
  "actor": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
  "to": [
    "http://mitra/users/admin",
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/y_xvNxYW9Bw",
  "object": {
    "type": "Note",
    "attributedTo": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "to": [
      "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
      "http://mitra/users/admin"
    ],
    "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/B69SviffAzk",
    "published": "2024-03-31T14:30:42Z",
    "content": "no comment in attachment",
    "attachment": [
      {
        "type": "Document",
        "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png"
      }
    ]
  }
}
bonfire
{
  "canonicalUri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/x5uE71Zmlfg",
  "date": "2024-03-30T18:02:19.000Z",
  "id": "01HT88DMZRMPPW3B61ERVHSW59",
  "objectPostContent": {
    "htmlBody": "no comment in attachment"
  },
  "verb": {
    "verbDisplay": "created"
  }
}
mastodon
{
  "id": "112186095093438264",
  "created_at": "2024-03-30T18:39:20.000Z",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "in_reply_to_account_id": null,
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "visibility": "public",
  "language": null,
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/WruaPw_Bwuc",
  "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/WruaPw_Bwuc",
  "replies_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "edited_at": null,
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "muted": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "content": "no comment in attachment",
  "filtered": [],
  "reblog": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "112186086980725689",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "locked": false,
    "bot": false,
    "discoverable": false,
    "group": false,
    "created_at": "2024-03-30T00:00:00.000Z",
    "note": "",
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