I interviewed Portland-based developer Hannah Kolbeck to discuss how Twitter’s proposed API changes will further undermine accessibility for its users.
Hannah created two apps—AltTextUtil and AltTxtReminder—which utilize Twitter's API to enable accessibility for images on the platform. When Twitter eventually added (some) similar functionality, Anil Dash noted that the debut of Twitter’s feature lacked acknowledgment of Hannah and others, who had such tools "that have been helping with accessibility on the platform for years.”
Anecdotally, Hannah says, a couple of Blind people have told her when her bot becomes inactive, Twitter will cease being usable for them.
While writing this piece, I noticed that Twitter has suspended AltTxtReminder. Hannah told me Twitter never notified her about that suspension, nor have they provided any reason for it since.