About Alt Lines
Alt Lines covers the language used to make visual and audio content accessible. Its subject includes alternative text for images, captions for video, transcripts for audio and audio descriptions for visual action. These forms of description have different purposes, and choosing the right one depends on the content, its context and the information an audience needs.
The publication is written for content editors, accessibility specialists, social media managers, web developers, educators and blind and low-vision readers who want to understand how digital descriptions work. It also addresses people evaluating machine-generated descriptions and deciding whether automated text communicates an image accurately, omits important information or introduces assumptions.
Articles are written in plain English by an editorial desk using AI writing tools. The approach is explanatory and example-led, with attention to practical decisions, specific wording and the consequences of unclear descriptions. The aim is to make accessibility language easier to understand and apply without turning every editorial decision into a technical exercise.
What you will find here
Alt Lines publishes 6 entries, among them Decorative or Informative? How to Decide When an Image Needs Alt Text, Describing People in Alt Text Without Guessing Identity, Age or Mood, Editing Machine-Generated Alt Text for Product Photos: Ten Practical Revisions.
How the entries are made
Entries are written by the Alt Lines editors with the help of AI writing tools and are meant as general information. They are not professional, legal, medical or financial advice, and details can change, so check primary sources before you act on anything.
Questions
What subjects does Alt Lines cover?
It covers image descriptions, alternative text, video captions, transcripts, audio description and the use of AI to generate accessible content. It also explains relevant accessibility terminology and publishing considerations.
Who can use the information?
The material is intended for people who create, edit, publish or evaluate digital content, including blind and low-vision readers. It is also useful for educators and developers who need to understand how descriptions affect access.
How does Alt Lines approach accessibility?
The approach favors plain language, specific examples and explanations of practical trade-offs. Articles distinguish useful description from unnecessary detail and identify when a human decision or additional context is needed.