Make it possible to copy ALT text from an image on mobile

[mackuba]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

If someone is cross-posting content manually to multiple platforms, I think it's a pretty common action to make a post with an image with alt text and then copy the post text and the alt text to the other app like Twitter or Ivory. The problem here is that it doesn't seem to be possible to copy alt text from an image in the Bluesky app. The alt text field can't be selected and does not react to taps.

The workflow:

1. Open Bluesky app
2. Open create new post
3. Enter post text
4. Add an image
5. Add image alt text
6. Submit the post
7. Go to Twitter app, open create new post dialog
8. Go back to Bluesky, copy post text, go to Twitter, paste it there
9. Go back to Bluesky, click the image, copy alt text - ??? - no profit

Describe the solution you'd like

1. Option 1: make the alt text textfield selectable, so the native text actions popover appears and you can tap "copy"
2. Option 2: copy the alt text on tap or long-tap

[deceptionagent]

regarding option 2:

maybe double-tap instead of single-tap to reduce accidentally blowing away your pasteboard with errant touches.

[deceptionagent]

regarding option 2:

maybe double-tap instead of single-tap to reduce accidentally blowing away your pasteboard with errant touches.

oh right - since this bug was written, the alt text UI has changed so single-tap expands or collapses the alt text overlay. so yeah you'd probably need it to be double-tap, press-and-hold (P&H), a discrete button, or a selectable text label on P&H.

[deceptionagent]

when you go to do this, make sure whatever interaction method you decide on can actually be performed using VoiceOver (and the Android equivalent). i don't know what RN's accessibility story will be here with regard to interactions on the text label itself, so if you need to use a discrete button then that's what you gotta do.

remember, people who use screenreaders need to reproduce alt text as well.

[deceptionagent]

it occurs to me that a discrete button would be more easily discoverable to screenreaders. could just be a small, simple icon. (assuming RN can properly set NSAccessibilityDescriptionAttribute.)

[pfrazee]

Appreciate it chelsea

[haileyok]

when you go to do this, make sure whatever interaction method you decide on can actually be performed using VoiceOver (and the Android equivalent). i don't know what RN's accessibility story will be here with regard to interactions on the text label itself, so if you need to use a discrete button then that's what you gotta do.

remember, people who use screenreaders need to reproduce alt text as well.

i would assume that using the native copy behavior would allow for this, is that the case? i'd also assume that react-native would handle accessibility by default when adding the selectable prop to the text but you know...

[deceptionagent]

when you go to do this, make sure whatever interaction method you decide on can actually be performed using VoiceOver (and the Android equivalent). i don't know what RN's accessibility story will be here with regard to interactions on the text label itself, so if you need to use a discrete button then that's what you gotta do.

remember, people who use screenreaders need to reproduce alt text as well.

i would assume that using the native copy behavior would allow for this, is that the case?

what i mean is that i don't know what interactions RN exposes and precisely to what extent it invents its own solutions -- i am a UIKit/AppKit girl -- so i want to put it out there that it's important to ensure the solution is usable via VoiceOver.