Theme: Metadata for Accessibility and Diversity

We at the IPTC consider it very important that our members’ content can be accessed by as many people as possible. That is why we think accessibility of our content to all types of users is of utmost importance.

Metadata can also be used to enhance diversity of content and diversity of creators and consumers, in all senses: gender, racial, ability, social status and sexuality.

Support for Accessibility and Diversity in IPTC Standards

In 2021, we added two new properties to the IPTC Photo Metadata Standard: “Alt Text (Accessibility)” and “Extended Description (Accessibility)”. Announced at the 2021 IPTC Photo Metadata Conference, the fields are now supported by many software tools used by professionals in the image world, including CameraBits’ Photo Mechanic, Adobe Bridge, Neofinder, Picvario and more.

In 2022, we added the same properties to IPTC Video Metadata Hub, along with some more properties to handle accessibility information specific to videos:

• Alt text (Accessibility)
• Extended Description (Accessibility)
• Content Warning (which includes flashing light warnings for those with photo-sensitive epilepsy)
• Timed Text Link (for external subtitle, closed caption or audio description files)

Recent content on Metadata for Accessibility and Diversity

• November 2022: Panel on implementation of accessibility features at the 2022 IPTC Photo Metadata Conference:

• October 2022: Presentations at the IPTC Autumn Meeting 2022 on accessibility and diversity (Full video available to IPTC Members via the Members-Only page)
  • Gender analysis as a service: Fredrik Lindberg and colleagues, iMatrics 
  • IPTC Video Metadata Working Group update (update on video properties covering accessibility and diversity): Pam Fisher, IPTC Individual Member – IPTC Video Metadata Working Group lead
  • IPTC Photo Metadata Working Group Update: David Riecks, PLUS Coalition, IPTC Photo Metadata Working Group co-lead, Michael Steidl, Honorary Member, IPTC Photo Metadata Working Group co-lead
• May 2022: Presentations on accessibility and diversity topics at the 2022 IPTC Spring Meeting (Full video available to IPTC Members via the Members-Only page):
  • IPTC Photo Metadata Working Group Update: David Riecks, PLUS Coalition, IPTC Photo Metadata Working Group co-lead, Michael Steidl, Honorary Member, IPTC Photo Metadata Working Group co-lead
  • NYT Papertrail: Transcribing Newspaper Archives with ML (making articles from the NYT archive available in text-only form, supporting screen readers and more): Maximilian Lauter, Justin Lewis, Yoni Nachmany, Derrick Bonafilia – The New York Times
• November 2021: Presentations on accessibility and diversity at the 2021 IPTC Photo Metadata Conference:
  • David Riecks, co-lead of the IPTC Photo Metadata Working Group, introduced the new accessibility properties in the IPTC Photo Metadata Standard: 
  • Sam Joehl of Level Access, who gave a fascinating presentation showing how a screen-reader application deals with images on the web, showcasing the need for good alternative text and image descriptions:
  • Caroline Desrosiers of Scribely moderated a panel entitled Making Images Accessible Across Industries: How Does it Work and What’s Next? Speakers included James Tiller, Cailin Meyer and Rebecca Snyder of the Smithsonian Institution, Rachel Comerford from Macmillan Learning and Jon Sasala from Morey Creative Studios.
  • David Riecks moderated a panel focused on “Image Accessibility Behind the Scenes: Metadata, DAMs, and Workflows.” Speakers were Andrew Kirkpatrick, Director of Accessibility at Adobe, Margaret Warren, founder of ImageSnippets, and Janos Farkas, CEO of CLink Media:

We are constantly looking out for new speakers and organisations to invite to speak at our member meetings and conferences. If you know of someone who we should speak with, please let us know.