> For alt tags, alt="" is appropriate if the image is only decorative or not adding anything that would be useful to someone on a screen reader.
Malicious legal firms looking for quick payouts do scan for missing alt tags and file lawsuits based on their absence.
Given the option to pay corporate lawyers $$$$/hour to educate judge and jury on the finer points of the WCAG standard and then proving to said judge and jury that the occurrences pointed in the lawsuit meet a subtle distinction, most companies settle for adding text to all alt attributes avoiding the calamity in the first place.
At the cost of worse experience for screen reader users of course.
Malicious legal firms looking for quick payouts do scan for missing alt tags and file lawsuits based on their absence.
Given the option to pay corporate lawyers $$$$/hour to educate judge and jury on the finer points of the WCAG standard and then proving to said judge and jury that the occurrences pointed in the lawsuit meet a subtle distinction, most companies settle for adding text to all alt attributes avoiding the calamity in the first place.
At the cost of worse experience for screen reader users of course.