On April 4th, Facebook launched their new object recognition technology that provides a description of pictures posted on their platform. They call this technology  “automatic alternative text.”

People using screen readers and iOS devices will hear a list of items contained in a photo. Instead of hearing the word “photo” when a new picture posts arrives, they will hear, for example,  “image may contain seven people, smiling, outdoors, trees.”

As in the example above, when describing a picture, the technology will mention first the number of people in the picture, if they are smiling or not, and then objects and scenes.

See an example of it works:

 For now this feature is available only in English in a few countries; but the plan is to extend it to more platforms, languages and countries.

Go and try it with your screen reader!