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. misskey, 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://mitra/users/admin"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/activity/fywruA1YK4o",
  "published": "2025-09-09T11:58:42Z",
  "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/object/-Qxttzd6Icg",
    "published": "2025-09-09T11:58:42Z",
    "content": "no description",
    "attachment": {
      "type": "Document",
      "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png"
    }
  }
}

mitra

{
  "id": "01992e57-b42e-9d38-c476-a3eac2939e1a",
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/object/-Qxttzd6Icg",
  "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/object/-Qxttzd6Icg",
  "created_at": "2025-09-09T11:58:42.000Z",
  "edited_at": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "01992e55-4a99-1ad3-6fca-85d362f93164",
    "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": "2025-09-09T11:56:05.657Z",
    "note": "",
    "avatar": "http://mitra/api/v1/accounts/identicon?input=http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "header": "http://mitra/api/v1/accounts/identicon",
    "locked": false,
    "mention_policy": "none",
    "bot": false,
    "identity_proofs": [],
    "payment_options": [],
    "fields": [],
    "emojis": [],
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "subscribers_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 69,
    "source": null,
    "role": null,
    "authentication_methods": null,
    "client_config": null
  },
  "content": "no description",
  "language": null,
  "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,
  "poll": null,
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "01992e57-b42a-6fe8-ba39-7549c1cb2155",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://mitra/media/1c5d85e7fc9ea795334c3317cc155f580cff516ba05f8ed396328d0811ca7d8b.png",
      "preview_url": "http://mitra/media/1c5d85e7fc9ea795334c3317cc155f580cff516ba05f8ed396328d0811ca7d8b.png",
      "description": null
    }
  ],
  "quote": null,
  "mentions": [
    {
      "id": "01992e53-ed00-5317-9420-0d86397ae37f",
      "username": "admin",
      "acct": "admin",
      "url": "http://mitra/users/admin"
    }
  ],
  "tags": [],
  "emojis": [],
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "pleroma": {
    "emoji_reactions": [],
    "in_reply_to_account_acct": null,
    "parent_visible": true,
    "quote": null,
    "quote_visible": true
  },
  "hidden": 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": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
    "http://mitra/users/admin"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/activity/69nzfX87U7s",
  "published": "2025-09-09T11:58:43Z",
  "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/object/YVdjuRIJQqk",
    "published": "2025-09-09T11:58:43Z",
    "content": "name and summary",
    "attachment": {
      "type": "Document",
      "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/images/100.png",
      "name": "name",
      "summary": "summary",
      "content": "content"
    }
  }
}

mitra

{
  "id": "01992e57-ba14-2fa0-0865-a5cfe1a265a2",
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/object/YVdjuRIJQqk",
  "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/object/YVdjuRIJQqk",
  "created_at": "2025-09-09T11:58:43.000Z",
  "edited_at": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "01992e55-4a99-1ad3-6fca-85d362f93164",
    "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": "2025-09-09T11:56:05.657Z",
    "note": "",
    "avatar": "http://mitra/api/v1/accounts/identicon?input=http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "header": "http://mitra/api/v1/accounts/identicon",
    "locked": false,
    "mention_policy": "none",
    "bot": false,
    "identity_proofs": [],
    "payment_options": [],
    "fields": [],
    "emojis": [],
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "subscribers_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 70,
    "source": null,
    "role": null,
    "authentication_methods": null,
    "client_config": null
  },
  "content": "name and summary",
  "language": null,
  "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,
  "poll": null,
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "01992e57-ba0f-21f4-827d-4a4af76087aa",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://mitra/media/5ae01c470de79f271a102f25b069d33d0d03bd3754ba8f0d0f05c8b54431d2f6.png",
      "preview_url": "http://mitra/media/5ae01c470de79f271a102f25b069d33d0d03bd3754ba8f0d0f05c8b54431d2f6.png",
      "description": "name"
    }
  ],
  "quote": null,
  "mentions": [
    {
      "id": "01992e53-ed00-5317-9420-0d86397ae37f",
      "username": "admin",
      "acct": "admin",
      "url": "http://mitra/users/admin"
    }
  ],
  "tags": [],
  "emojis": [],
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "pleroma": {
    "emoji_reactions": [],
    "in_reply_to_account_acct": null,
    "parent_visible": true,
    "quote": null,
    "quote_visible": true
  },
  "hidden": 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": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
    "http://mitra/users/admin"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/activity/sSGh8PzEBls",
  "published": "2025-09-09T11:58:45Z",
  "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/object/wXAy8YfQujQ",
    "published": "2025-09-09T11:58:45Z",
    "content": "only name",
    "attachment": [
      {
        "type": "Document",
        "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png",
        "name": "name",
        "imageType": "image/jpeg"
      }
    ]
  }
}

mitra

{
  "id": "01992e57-c00a-dc0b-46eb-7ad21777ba0c",
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/object/wXAy8YfQujQ",
  "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/object/wXAy8YfQujQ",
  "created_at": "2025-09-09T11:58:45.000Z",
  "edited_at": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "01992e55-4a99-1ad3-6fca-85d362f93164",
    "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": "2025-09-09T11:56:05.657Z",
    "note": "",
    "avatar": "http://mitra/api/v1/accounts/identicon?input=http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "header": "http://mitra/api/v1/accounts/identicon",
    "locked": false,
    "mention_policy": "none",
    "bot": false,
    "identity_proofs": [],
    "payment_options": [],
    "fields": [],
    "emojis": [],
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "subscribers_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 71,
    "source": null,
    "role": null,
    "authentication_methods": null,
    "client_config": null
  },
  "content": "only name",
  "language": null,
  "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,
  "poll": null,
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "01992e57-c005-3453-008b-6eb7ddf27b9b",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://mitra/media/2d7a61d31393a44edf2a30160cdd70b3582a4f97d5b550f8141dfee1641b4ae7.png",
      "preview_url": "http://mitra/media/2d7a61d31393a44edf2a30160cdd70b3582a4f97d5b550f8141dfee1641b4ae7.png",
      "description": "name"
    }
  ],
  "quote": null,
  "mentions": [
    {
      "id": "01992e53-ed00-5317-9420-0d86397ae37f",
      "username": "admin",
      "acct": "admin",
      "url": "http://mitra/users/admin"
    }
  ],
  "tags": [],
  "emojis": [],
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "pleroma": {
    "emoji_reactions": [],
    "in_reply_to_account_acct": null,
    "parent_visible": true,
    "quote": null,
    "quote_visible": true
  },
  "hidden": 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": [
    "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public",
    "http://mitra/users/admin"
  ],
  "id": "http://pasture-one-actor/activity/ZEkCP9eb0Ng",
  "published": "2025-09-09T11:58:47Z",
  "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/object/wcZgdL_-1Vs",
    "published": "2025-09-09T11:58:47Z",
    "content": "no comment in attachment",
    "attachment": [
      {
        "type": "Document",
        "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/assets/FediverseLogo.png"
      }
    ]
  }
}

mitra

{
  "id": "01992e57-c5e7-b699-204b-08a99c4627f6",
  "uri": "http://pasture-one-actor/object/wcZgdL_-1Vs",
  "url": "http://pasture-one-actor/object/wcZgdL_-1Vs",
  "created_at": "2025-09-09T11:58:47.000Z",
  "edited_at": null,
  "account": {
    "id": "01992e55-4a99-1ad3-6fca-85d362f93164",
    "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": "2025-09-09T11:56:05.657Z",
    "note": "",
    "avatar": "http://mitra/api/v1/accounts/identicon?input=http://pasture-one-actor/actor",
    "header": "http://mitra/api/v1/accounts/identicon",
    "locked": false,
    "mention_policy": "none",
    "bot": false,
    "identity_proofs": [],
    "payment_options": [],
    "fields": [],
    "emojis": [],
    "followers_count": 0,
    "following_count": 0,
    "subscribers_count": 0,
    "statuses_count": 72,
    "source": null,
    "role": null,
    "authentication_methods": null,
    "client_config": null
  },
  "content": "no comment in attachment",
  "language": null,
  "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,
  "poll": null,
  "media_attachments": [
    {
      "id": "01992e57-c5e4-f8a1-725e-2e1ba26c9cb8",
      "type": "image",
      "url": "http://mitra/media/2d7a61d31393a44edf2a30160cdd70b3582a4f97d5b550f8141dfee1641b4ae7.png",
      "preview_url": "http://mitra/media/2d7a61d31393a44edf2a30160cdd70b3582a4f97d5b550f8141dfee1641b4ae7.png",
      "description": null
    }
  ],
  "quote": null,
  "mentions": [
    {
      "id": "01992e53-ed00-5317-9420-0d86397ae37f",
      "username": "admin",
      "acct": "admin",
      "url": "http://mitra/users/admin"
    }
  ],
  "tags": [],
  "emojis": [],
  "favourited": false,
  "reblogged": false,
  "bookmarked": false,
  "pleroma": {
    "emoji_reactions": [],
    "in_reply_to_account_acct": null,
    "parent_visible": true,
    "quote": null,
    "quote_visible": true
  },
  "hidden": false,
  "ipfs_cid": null,
  "links": []
}