agent alt-text generator described decorative images instead of empty alt

agent alt-text generator described decorative images instead of empty alt - how to fix it

TL;DR

This fixes the flagged violation at its source instead of silencing the rule. The agent wrote descriptive alt text for decorative images instead of leaving them empty, so screen readers announce noise. Follow the steps, re-run the scan, and gate the rule in CI so it stays fixed.

The error, verbatim

agent alt-text generator described decorative images instead of empty alt

Fix it step by step

Step 1

Mark decorative images with empty alt so assistive tech skips them.

Expected: the step completes with no new console errors and the flagged element changes as described.

Step 2

Teach the agent a decorative-vs-informative classifier: icons, dividers, and stock filler are decorative.

Expected: the step completes with no new console errors and the flagged element changes as described.

Step 3

For informative images, keep the agent's descriptive alt; only the decorative ones change.

Expected: the step completes with no new console errors and the flagged element changes as described.

Step 4

Re-run axe image-alt and spot-check with a screen reader.

Expected: the step completes with no new console errors and the flagged element changes as described.

When to use this skill

• Your scan report lists this exact rule or failure
• You are clearing automated accessibility failures before release or audit
• A CI accessibility gate is red because of this item

When NOT to use this skill

• Empty alt is the correct accessible choice for decoration, not a missing label.
• The issue only appears in manual screen-reader testing and no automated rule flags it
• You are doing a full manual WCAG audit; this skill covers one automated check

Compatibility

Agent workflow guardrail; verify with axe image-alt.

Variant phrasings

agent alt text on decorative images should be empty alt

Same underlying issue and the same fix. Searchers phrase it different ways; the remediation does not change.

Why it happens

The agent wrote descriptive alt text for decorative images instead of leaving them empty, so screen readers announce noise. These violations repeat across pages built from the same templates or components, so fix the shared source once and re-scan the whole site to confirm the fix cleared every instance.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_pFE106X5v-nOX5s9qa5jJA

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_pFE106X5v-nOX5s9qa5jJA

Thread query: agent alt-text generator described decorative images instead of empty alt

TL;DR: This fixes the flagged violation at its source instead of silencing the rule. The agent wrote descriptive alt text for decorative images instead of leaving them empty, so screen readers announce noise. Follow the steps, re-run the scan, and gate the rule in CI so it stays fixed.