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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": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
    "http://hollo/@john"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/fX5fXtJ7EXk",
  "published": "2024-10-27T19:12:59Z",
  "object": {
    "type": "Note",
    "attributedTo": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "to": [
      "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
      "http://hollo/@john"
    ],
    "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/daSF2bfLTVY",
    "published": "2024-10-27T19:12:59Z",
    "content": "no description",
    "attachment": {
      "type": "Document",
      "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png"
    },
    "tag": [
      {
        "type": "Mention",
        "href": "http://gotosocial/users/cookie"
      }
    ]
  }
}
hollo
{
  "id": "0192cf65-5a78-757a-a334-2ec3b28225f6",
  "created_at": "2024-10-27T19:12:59.000Z",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "visibility": "public",
  "language": null,
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/daSF2bfLTVY",
  "url": null,
  "replies_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "muted": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "pinned": false,
  "content": "no description",
  "reblog": null,
  "quote_id": null,
  "quote": null,
  "application": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "0192cf64-a9bb-7a3a-8d01-6cdcc40de794",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "locked": false,
    "bot": false,
    "created_at": "2024-10-27T19:12:13.695Z",
    "note": "",
    "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "avatar": "http://hollo/image/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "avatar_static": "http://hollo/image/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "header": "http://hollo/image/headers/original/missing.png",
    "header_static": "http://hollo/image/headers/original/missing.png",
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 0,
    "moved": null,
    "last_status_at": null,
    "emojis": [],
    "fields": []
  },
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "0192cf65-5c3e-7f0a-9c99-11bcf22947a5",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png",
      "preview_url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png",
      "remote_url": null,
      "text_url": null,
      "meta": {
        "original": {
          "width": 512,
          "height": 512,
          "size": "512x512",
          "aspect": 1
        },
        "small": {
          "width": 512,
          "height": 512,
          "size": "512x512",
          "aspect": 1
        },
        "focus": {
          "x": 0,
          "y": 0
        }
      },
      "description": null,
      "blurhash": null
    }
  ],
  "mentions": [],
  "tags": [],
  "card": null,
  "emojis": [],
  "emoji_reactions": [],
  "poll": null,
  "filtered": null
}

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": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
    "http://hollo/@john"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/3w3JkFc9ATc",
  "published": "2024-10-27T19:13:00Z",
  "object": {
    "type": "Note",
    "attributedTo": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "to": [
      "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
      "http://hollo/@john"
    ],
    "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/HPbmVXXl6OQ",
    "published": "2024-10-27T19:13:00Z",
    "content": "text",
    "attachment": {
      "type": "Document",
      "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png",
      "name": "name",
      "summary": "summary",
      "content": "content"
    },
    "tag": [
      {
        "type": "Mention",
        "href": "http://gotosocial/users/cookie"
      }
    ]
  }
}
hollo
{
  "id": "0192cf65-5e60-74a5-ad62-9fe7f6925029",
  "created_at": "2024-10-27T19:13:00.000Z",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "visibility": "public",
  "language": null,
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/HPbmVXXl6OQ",
  "url": null,
  "replies_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "muted": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "pinned": false,
  "content": "text",
  "reblog": null,
  "quote_id": null,
  "quote": null,
  "application": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "0192cf64-a9bb-7a3a-8d01-6cdcc40de794",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "locked": false,
    "bot": false,
    "created_at": "2024-10-27T19:12:13.695Z",
    "note": "",
    "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "avatar": "http://hollo/image/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "avatar_static": "http://hollo/image/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "header": "http://hollo/image/headers/original/missing.png",
    "header_static": "http://hollo/image/headers/original/missing.png",
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 0,
    "moved": null,
    "last_status_at": null,
    "emojis": [],
    "fields": []
  },
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "0192cf65-5f5d-78ca-8842-26a2cfd56bf2",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png",
      "preview_url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png",
      "remote_url": null,
      "text_url": null,
      "meta": {
        "original": {
          "width": 512,
          "height": 512,
          "size": "512x512",
          "aspect": 1
        },
        "small": {
          "width": 512,
          "height": 512,
          "size": "512x512",
          "aspect": 1
        },
        "focus": {
          "x": 0,
          "y": 0
        }
      },
      "description": "summary",
      "blurhash": null
    }
  ],
  "mentions": [],
  "tags": [],
  "card": null,
  "emojis": [],
  "emoji_reactions": [],
  "poll": null,
  "filtered": null
}

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": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
    "http://hollo/@john"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/fd-vSrDdu3k",
  "published": "2024-10-27T19:13:00Z",
  "object": {
    "type": "Note",
    "attributedTo": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "to": [
      "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
      "http://hollo/@john"
    ],
    "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/EV7d8-m3KAU",
    "published": "2024-10-27T19:13:00Z",
    "content": "text",
    "attachment": [
      {
        "type": "Document",
        "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png",
        "name": "name",
        "imageType": "image/jpeg"
      }
    ],
    "tag": [
      {
        "type": "Mention",
        "href": "http://gotosocial/users/cookie"
      }
    ]
  }
}
hollo
{
  "id": "0192cf65-5e60-74a5-ad62-9fe81505eff1",
  "created_at": "2024-10-27T19:13:00.000Z",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "visibility": "public",
  "language": null,
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/EV7d8-m3KAU",
  "url": null,
  "replies_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "muted": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "pinned": false,
  "content": "text",
  "reblog": null,
  "quote_id": null,
  "quote": null,
  "application": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "0192cf64-a9bb-7a3a-8d01-6cdcc40de794",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "locked": false,
    "bot": false,
    "created_at": "2024-10-27T19:12:13.695Z",
    "note": "",
    "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "avatar": "http://hollo/image/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "avatar_static": "http://hollo/image/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "header": "http://hollo/image/headers/original/missing.png",
    "header_static": "http://hollo/image/headers/original/missing.png",
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 0,
    "moved": null,
    "last_status_at": null,
    "emojis": [],
    "fields": []
  },
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "0192cf65-6273-7aa2-a061-ed353bda10da",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png",
      "preview_url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png",
      "remote_url": null,
      "text_url": null,
      "meta": {
        "original": {
          "width": 512,
          "height": 512,
          "size": "512x512",
          "aspect": 1
        },
        "small": {
          "width": 512,
          "height": 512,
          "size": "512x512",
          "aspect": 1
        },
        "focus": {
          "x": 0,
          "y": 0
        }
      },
      "description": "name",
      "blurhash": null
    }
  ],
  "mentions": [],
  "tags": [],
  "card": null,
  "emojis": [],
  "emoji_reactions": [],
  "poll": null,
  "filtered": null
}

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": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
    "http://hollo/@john"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/mcqS9bbLBx8",
  "published": "2024-10-27T19:13:01Z",
  "object": {
    "type": "Note",
    "attributedTo": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "to": [
      "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
      "http://hollo/@john"
    ],
    "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/CfF5S8F9Q4U",
    "published": "2024-10-27T19:13:01Z",
    "content": "no comment in attachment",
    "attachment": [
      {
        "type": "Document",
        "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png"
      }
    ],
    "tag": [
      {
        "type": "Mention",
        "href": "http://gotosocial/users/cookie"
      }
    ]
  }
}
hollo
{
  "id": "0192cf65-6248-796b-9c87-2c27e1e76561",
  "created_at": "2024-10-27T19:13:01.000Z",
  "in_reply_to_id": null,
  "sensitive": false,
  "spoiler_text": "",
  "visibility": "public",
  "language": null,
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor/CfF5S8F9Q4U",
  "url": null,
  "replies_count": 0,
  "reblogs_count": 0,
  "favourites_count": 0,
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "muted": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "pinned": false,
  "content": "no comment in attachment",
  "reblog": null,
  "quote_id": null,
  "quote": null,
  "application": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "0192cf64-a9bb-7a3a-8d01-6cdcc40de794",
    "username": "actor",
    "acct": "actor@pasture-one-actor",
    "display_name": "Test Actor",
    "locked": false,
    "bot": false,
    "created_at": "2024-10-27T19:12:13.695Z",
    "note": "",
    "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "avatar": "http://hollo/image/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "avatar_static": "http://hollo/image/avatars/original/missing.png",
    "header": "http://hollo/image/headers/original/missing.png",
    "header_static": "http://hollo/image/headers/original/missing.png",
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 0,
    "moved": null,
    "last_status_at": null,
    "emojis": [],
    "fields": []
  },
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "0192cf65-653d-7b7c-999d-58f16ac5e38a",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png",
      "preview_url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png",
      "remote_url": null,
      "text_url": null,
      "meta": {
        "original": {
          "width": 512,
          "height": 512,
          "size": "512x512",
          "aspect": 1
        },
        "small": {
          "width": 512,
          "height": 512,
          "size": "512x512",
          "aspect": 1
        },
        "focus": {
          "x": 0,
          "y": 0
        }
      },
      "description": null,
      "blurhash": null
    }
  ],
  "mentions": [],
  "tags": [],
  "card": null,
  "emojis": [],
  "emoji_reactions": [],
  "poll": null,
  "filtered": null
}