What's The 'Click Here Twitter Arrow' Trend? The 'Click Here Twitter (X) ALT Text Jokes' Trend Explained

Twitter (X) users have been asking the company for years to release a better ALT Text feature only to turn the accessibility technology for mainly sharing memes and jokes, which is going viral as the Click Here Twitter Arrow Trend.

For context, the Alternative (ALT) Text feature was added in 2016 for alt-text website images and, in May 2020, a dedicated +ALT button displayed on the image itself was launched in both the app and web version of the social media. The technology's main goal is to "include everyone in your conversation," as X explained. These descriptions "enable folks who use screen readers to interpret images in Tweets," the company said.

But what is the Click Here trend on X, and why isn't the meme funny for blind people. Let's explain.

Who Started The 'Click Here Twitter Arrow' Trend?

X user @whenyoumetjay uploaded one of the earliest known images featuring the text "click here" and an arrow pointing at the "ALT text" feature on the platform. By clicking on the feature, the following text is shown: "I don't know who needs to hear this today but you're enough. you're valid. you're loved. keep shining your light <3."

How Did The 'Click Here Twitter Arrow' Trend Spread?

@whenyoumetjay's post didn't amass a lot of traction at the time, but a few weeks later, in May 2023 other users began to use the "click here arrow" image to post jokes using the ALT text feature. For instance, On May 2nd, 2023, the X meme page @OOCCouchGags used the "click here" to post a Simpsons joke that reads, "I know you can read my thoughts boy… Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow, meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow."

The trend resurfaced a year later, in February 2024, as user @MgmtArham posted the "click here arrow" directing to the ALT text, which reads, "To the 0.0000000001% of people that see this. If you happen to see this just know that: You're loved. You belong. You're needed by others. You're alive for a reason. Don’t give up <3." (shown below)

How People Reacted To The 'Click Here Twitter Arrow' Trend?

Despite all the wholesome and cute messages in some of the jokes in the Twitter arrow trend, several news outlets reported the negative implications of using the ALT text feature for a purpose outside of helping people with visual impairment. For instance, in May 2023, BBC released an article explaining how the trend harmed blind or partially sighted people, who use the feature to navigate social media.

At the same time, X @Specsavers page shared an ALT text explaining how the trend could be detrimental for blind people, saying, "ALT text is a hugely important accessibility tool designed to help people navigate the internet more easily, so it shouldn't be used as a punchline."

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For the full history of "click here Twitter ALT text jokes" be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.