Accessibility digest

Introduction

How accessible is the Freedom House web page at https://freedomhouse.org/?

This digest can help answer that question. Nine different tools (Alfa, ASLint, Axe, Equal Access, HTML CodeSniffer, Nu Html Checker, QualWeb, Testaro, and WAVE) tested the page to check its compliance with their accessibility rules. In all, the tools define about 915 rules, which are classified here into about 300 accessibility issues.

The results were interpreted to yield a score, with 0 being ideal. The score for this page was 2329, the sum of 560 for the count of issues, 1399 for specific issues, 292 for tool-by-tool ratings, 0 for the page preventing tools from running, 66 for browser warnings, and 12 for delayed page responses.

Issue summary

Itemized issues

The reported rule violations are itemized below, issue by issue. Additional details can be inspected in the full report.

Issue: element not focusable

Impact: Keyboard-only user cannot choose an item to operate

WCAG: 2.1.1

Score: 172

Violations of testaro rules

Rule focAll

Description: Discrepancy between elements that should be and that are Tab-focusable

Count of instances: 86

Issue: target small

Impact: User cannot reliably choose an item to click or tap

WCAG: 2.5.5

Score: 126

Violations of testaro rules

Rule targetSize

Description: Button, input, or non-inline link is smaller than 44 px wide and high

Count of instances: 42

Issue: link indication poor

Impact: User cannot differentiate a link from plain text

WCAG: 1.3.3

Score: 120

Violations of aslint rules

Rule links_not_visually_evident_without_color_vision

Description: Element is a link, but its style properties do not differentiate it from its parent

Count of instances: 60

Violations of testaro rules

Rule linkUl

Description: Inline links are not underlined

Count of instances: 40

Issue: ID not unique

Impact: User may be pointed to the wrong item

WCAG: 4.1.1

Score: 104

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r3

Description: Element id attribute value is not unique

Count of instances: 2

Violations of aslint rules

Rule duplicated_id_attribute

Description: Element id attribute value is not unique

Count of instances: 2

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.4_1_1.F77

Description: Duplicate id attribute value

Count of instances: 1

Violations of ibm rules

Rule element_id_unique

Description: Element has an id attribute value that is already in use

Count of instances: 1

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule ^Duplicate ID .+$|^The first occurrence of ID .* was here.*$

Description: Duplicate id

Count of instances: 2

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-ACT-R18

Description: id attribute value is not unique

Count of instances: 26

Issue: line height low

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 1.4.8

Score: 100

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r73

Description: Text line height is not at least 1.5

Count of instances: 1

Violations of testaro rules

Rule lineHeight

Description: Text has a line height less than 1.5 times its font size

Count of instances: 50

Issue: focus indication poor

Impact: Keyboard-only user cannot choose an item to operate

WCAG: 2.4.7

Score: 96

Violations of testaro rules

Rule focInd

Description: Focused element displays a nonstandard or no focus indicator

Count of instances: 24

Issue: h1 not 1st heading

Impact: User cannot understand the topic of the document

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 93

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r61

Description: First heading is not h1

Count of instances: 1

Issue: multiple mains

Impact: User cannot get help on how some of the document is organized

WCAG: 1.3.6

Score: 62

Violations of axe rules

Rule landmark-no-duplicate-main

Description: Page has more than 1 main landmark

Count of instances: 1

Issue: text contrast issues not testable

Impact: Text may be difficult to read

WCAG: 1.4.3

Score: 47

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.1_4_6.G17.Abs

Description: Contrast between the absolutely positioned text and its background may be less than 7:1

Count of instances: 41

Rule AAA.1_4_6.G17.BgImage

Description: Contrast between the text and its background image may be less than 7:1

Count of instances: 1

Rule AAA.1_4_6.G18.Abs

Description: Contrast between the absolutely positioned text and its background may be less than 4.5:1

Count of instances: 5

Issue: text contrast improvable

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 1.4.6

Score: 44

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r66

Description: Text contrast less than AAA requires

Count of instances: 12

Violations of aslint rules

Rule color_contrast_aaa7

Description: Text has contrast less than 7:1

Count of instances: 8

Rule color_contrast_aaa

Description: Text contrast may be less than enhanced but the element is invisible

Count of instances: 36

Violations of axe rules

Rule color-contrast-enhanced

Description: Element has insufficient color contrast (Level AAA)

Count of instances: 12

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.1_4_6.G17.Fail

Description: Text has insufficient contrast

Count of instances: 26

Issue: links named identically

Impact: User cannot get help differentiating links

WCAG: 2.4.4

Score: 34

Violations of aslint rules

Rule links_same_content_different_url

Description: Links with the same text content have different destination URLs

Count of instances: 14

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-ACT-R9

Description: Links with identical accessible names have different purposes

Count of instances: 11

Violations of testaro rules

Rule linkAmb

Description: Links with the same text content have different destinations

Count of instances: 17

Issue: large visible-element count

Impact: User cannot easily find items in the document

WCAG: 2.4

Score: 31

Violations of testaro rules

Rule bulk

Description: Page contains many visible elements

Count of instances: 1

Issue: svg image not named

Impact: User cannot get help understanding an image

WCAG: 1.1.1

Score: 28

Violations of aslint rules

Rule accessible_svg

Description: Element has no title, description, text, attribute label, or role description

Count of instances: 7

Issue: title attribute invalid

Impact: User cannot hover to get help explaining an item

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 28

Violations of testaro rules

Rule titledEl

Description: title attribute belongs to an inappropriate element

Count of instances: 7

Issue: nav links not list

Impact: User cannot get help recognizing a list of navigation links

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 22

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.1_3_1.H48

Description: Navigation links are not coded as a list

Count of instances: 3

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-WCAG-T32

Description: ol, ul or dl is not used for a list or group of links

Count of instances: 11

Issue: text contrast poor

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 1.4.3

Score: 20

Violations of axe rules

Rule color-contrast

Description: Element has insufficient color contrast

Count of instances: 3

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.1_4_6.G18.Fail

Description: Contrast between the text and its background is less than 4.5:1

Count of instances: 5

Violations of wave rules

Rule contrast

Description: Very low contrast

Count of instances: 2

Issue: image dubiously named

Impact: Helper may describe an image inadequately

WCAG: 1.1.1

Score: 20

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-WCAG-T8

Description: Text alternative is not an alternative

Count of instances: 20

Violations of wave rules

Rule alt_suspicious

Description: Image text alternative is suspicious

Count of instances: 3

Issue: visible label not in name

Impact: User cannot get help choosing a form control to operate

WCAG: 2.5.3

Score: 18

Violations of axe rules

Rule label-content-name-mismatch

Description: Element visible text is not part of its accessible name

Count of instances: 6

Issue: inconsistent heading, link, or button styles

Impact: User cannot easily distinguish items of different types

WCAG: 3.2.4

Score: 18

Violations of testaro rules

Rule styleDiff

Description: Heading, link, and button style inconsistencies

Count of instances: 18

Issue: internal link broken

Impact: User cannot reach a promised document location

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 16

Violations of aslint rules

Rule broken_same_page_link

Description: Same-page destination of the link does not exist

Count of instances: 4

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.2_4_1.G1,G123,G124.NoSuchID

Description: Internal link references a nonexistent destination

Count of instances: 1

Violations of wave rules

Rule link_internal_broken

Description: Broken same-page link

Count of instances: 1

Issue: parent invalid

Impact: User cannot properly operate an item

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 16

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule ^Element .+ not allowed as child of element .+ in this context.*$

Description: Element has an invalid parent

Count of instances: 4

Issue: code obsolete

Impact: Document contains code that is no longer standard

WCAG: 4.1

Score: 15

Violations of ibm rules

Rule element_attribute_deprecated

Description: Element or attribute is obsolete

Count of instances: 5

Issue: font size absolute

Impact: User cannot adjust the text size for readability

WCAG: 1.4.4

Score: 14

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-WCAG-T28

Description: Percent, em, or name is used for a font size

Count of instances: 7

Issue: article heading missing

Impact: User cannot understand the topic of a part of the document

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 13

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule Article lacks heading. Consider using h2-h6 elements to add identifying headings to all articles.

Description: article has no heading

Count of instances: 13

Issue: error reference invalid

Impact: User cannot correct a form error

WCAG: 3.3.1

Score: 12

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-ACT-R41

Description: Error message describes no invalid form field value

Count of instances: 3

Issue: text and image link not combined

Impact: Keyboard-only user expends extra effort to skip a link

WCAG: 2.4.4

Score: 12

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-WCAG-T10

Description: Adjacent image and text links for the same resource are not combined

Count of instances: 6

Violations of wave rules

Rule link_redundant

Description: Adjacent links go to the same URL

Count of instances: 3

Issue: attribute obsolete

Impact: Document includes obsolete code that the browser may fail to process

WCAG: 4.1

Score: 9

Violations of aslint rules

Rule obsolete_html_attributes

Description: Element has an obsolete attribute

Count of instances: 1

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule ^The .+ attribute on the .+ element is obsolete.+$

Description: Attribute is obsolete on its element

Count of instances: 3

Issue: mains not distinctly named

Impact: User cannot get help on how some of the document is organized

WCAG: 1.3.6

Score: 9

Violations of ibm rules

Rule aria_main_label_visible

Description: Element with a main role has no unique visible label among the main-role elements

Count of instances: 1

Rule aria_main_label_unique

Description: Element with a main role has no unique label among the main-role elements

Count of instances: 2

Issue: role redundant

Impact: Document includes unnecessary code

WCAG: 4.1.2

Score: 9

Violations of ibm rules

Rule aria_role_redundant

Description: Explicitly assigned ARIA role is redundant with the implicit role of the element

Count of instances: 6

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule ^The .+ role is unnecessary for element .+$

Description: explicit role is redundant for its element

Count of instances: 6

Violations of testaro rules

Rule role

Description: Invalid, native-replacing, or redundant role

Count of instances: 9

Issue: focusable element hidden

Impact: Keyboard-only user cannot navigate properly to the operable items

WCAG: 4.1.2

Score: 8

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r17

Description: Tab-focusable element is or has an ancestor that is aria-hidden

Count of instances: 1

Violations of axe rules

Rule aria-hidden-focus

Description: ARIA hidden element is focusable or contains a focusable element

Count of instances: 1

Violations of ibm rules

Rule aria_hidden_nontabbable

Description: Element has an ancestor with a true aria-hidden attribute but is focusable

Count of instances: 2

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-ACT-R13

Description: Element with aria-hidden has focusable content

Count of instances: 2

Issue: image alt long

Impact: Helper gives a user an overly verbose explanation of an image

WCAG: 1.1.1

Score: 8

Violations of wave rules

Rule alt_long

Description: Long text alternative

Count of instances: 4

Issue: tab-opening link action possibly unstated

Impact: Following a link opens a new window, possibly surprising a user

WCAG: 3.2.5

Score: 7

Violations of aslint rules

Rule links_new_window_mark

Description: Indicator that the link opens a new window or tab may be missing

Count of instances: 7

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.3_2_5.H83.3

Description: Link text may fail to indicate that the link will open in a new window

Count of instances: 7

Violations of testaro rules

Rule linkExt

Description: Link opens a new window or tab

Count of instances: 7

Issue: landmarks not distinctly named

Impact: User cannot get help on how some of the document is organized

WCAG: 1.3.6

Score: 6

Violations of axe rules

Rule landmark-unique

Description: Landmark has a role and an accessible name that are identical to another

Count of instances: 1

Violations of ibm rules

Rule aria_landmark_name_unique

Description: Multiple landmarks with the same parent region are not distinguished from one another

Count of instances: 2

Issue: control has title instead of label

Impact: User cannot get help on how to operate a form item

WCAG: 2.4.6

Score: 6

Violations of wave rules

Rule label_title

Description: Form control has a title but no label

Count of instances: 2

Issue: title attribute redundant

Impact: Helper repeats the explanation of an item

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 5

Violations of testaro rules

Rule linkTitle

Description: Link title value is also contained in the link text

Count of instances: 5

Violations of wave rules

Rule title_redundant

Description: Title attribute text is the same as the text or alternative text

Count of instances: 1

Issue: dialog not named

Impact: User cannot get help explaining a pop-up window

WCAG: 4.1.2

Score: 4

Violations of aslint rules

Rule aria_role_dialog

Description: Element has a dialog role but has no accessible name

Count of instances: 1

Issue: button not named

Impact: User cannot get help explaing a button

WCAG: 4.1.2

Score: 4

Violations of aslint rules

Rule empty_button_description

Description: Button has no visible accessible name

Count of instances: 1

Issue: link not named

Impact: User cannot get help understanding what a link points to

WCAG: 2.4.4

Score: 4

Violations of aslint rules

Rule empty_link_element

Description: Element has no visible and accessible name

Count of instances: 1

Issue: heading structure illogical

Impact: Helper misdescribes the document

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 4

Violations of aslint rules

Rule headings_hierarchy

Description: Heading level is illogical in its context

Count of instances: 1

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.1_3_1_AAA.G141

Description: Heading level is incorrect

Count of instances: 2

Issue: attribute value invalid

Impact: Item behaves improperly

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 4

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule ^Bad value .* for attribute .+ on element .+$

Description: Attribute on this element has an invalid value

Count of instances: 1

Issue: attribute invalid

Impact: Item behaves improperly

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 4

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule ^Attribute .+ not allowed on element .+ at this point.*$

Description: Attribute not allowed on this element

Count of instances: 1

Issue: z-index not zero

Impact: User cannot predict the effect of clicking

WCAG: 1.4

Score: 4

Violations of testaro rules

Rule zIndex

Description: Element has a nondefault z-index value

Count of instances: 4

Issue: content beyond landmarks

Impact: User cannot get help on how some of the document is organized

WCAG: 1.3.6

Score: 3

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r57

Description: Perceivable text content is not included in any landmark

Count of instances: 1

Violations of axe rules

Rule region

Description: Some page content is not contained by landmarks

Count of instances: 1

Violations of ibm rules

Rule aria_content_in_landmark

Description: Content is not within a landmark element

Count of instances: 3

Issue: links dubiously share name

Impact: User may be unable to get help differentiating links

WCAG: 2.4.4

Score: 3

Violations of axe rules

Rule identical-links-same-purpose

Description: Links with the same accessible name may serve dissimilar purposes

Count of instances: 3

Issue: position sticky

Impact: User may be unable to see needed content or may be forced to scroll in both dimensions

WCAG: 1.4.10

Score: 3

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.1_4_10.C32,C31,C33,C38,SCR34,G206

Description: Fixed-position element may force bidirectional scrolling

Count of instances: 3

Issue: navigations not distinctly named

Impact: User cannot get help on how some of the document is organized

WCAG: 1.3.6

Score: 3

Violations of ibm rules

Rule aria_navigation_label_unique

Description: Multiple elements with the navigation role do not have unique labels

Count of instances: 1

Issue: type redundant

Impact: Document includes unnecessary code

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 3

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule The type attribute is unnecessary for JavaScript resources.

Description: type attribute is unnecessary for a JavaScript resource

Count of instances: 2

Rule The type attribute for the style element is not needed and should be omitted.

Description: type attribute is unnecessary for a style element

Count of instances: 1

Issue: labeling risky

Impact: User may misunderstand a form control

WCAG: 3.3.2

Score: 2

Violations of aslint rules

Rule missing_labelN

Description: Element has an id attribute but no explicit label references it

Count of instances: 2

Issue: link name dubious

Impact: User may misunderstand what a link points to

WCAG: 2.4.4

Score: 1

Violations of aslint rules

Rule link_with_unclear_purpose

Description: Element is a link but has vague or generic content

Count of instances: 1

Violations of wave rules

Rule link_suspicious

Description: Suspicious link text

Count of instances: 1

Issue: list unordered type dubious

Impact: User may be unable to get help on whether a list is ordered

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 1

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.1_3_1.H48.2

Description: Ordered list may fail to be coded as such

Count of instances: 1

Issue: dubious aria-label

Impact: User may fail to get help understanding an item in a form

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 1

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule Possible misuse of aria-label. (If you disagree with this warning, file an issue report or send e-mail to www-validator@w3.org.)

Description: aria-label attribute may be misused

Count of instances: 1

Issue: text distortion

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 3.1.5

Score: 1

Violations of testaro rules

Rule distortion

Description: Element text is distorted by a transform style property

Count of instances: 1

Issue: nearby images have same alt

Impact: User cannot get help differentiating two adjacent images

WCAG: 1.1.1

Score: 1

Violations of wave rules

Rule alt_duplicate

Description: Two images near each other have the same text alternative

Count of instances: 1

Issue: noscript element possibly not equivalent

Impact: User who has disabled JavaScript may be denied some content

WCAG: 4.1

Score: 1

Violations of wave rules

Rule noscript

Description: noscript element may fail to contain an accessible equivalent or alternative

Count of instances: 1

Issue: all-capital text

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 3.1.5

Score: 0

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r72

Description: Paragraph text is uppercased

Count of instances: 3

Violations of aslint rules

Rule capital_letters_words

Description: Element or its title has entirely upper-case words

Count of instances: 15

Violations of testaro rules

Rule allCaps

Description: Element has a text substring of at least 8 upper-case characters

Count of instances: 2

Issue: all-italic text

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 3.1.5

Score: 0

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r85

Description: Text of the paragraph is all italic

Count of instances: 1

Violations of aslint rules

Rule font_style_italic

Description: Text longer than 80 characters has an italic font style

Count of instances: 1

Violations of testaro rules

Rule allSlanted

Description: Element has a text substring of at least 40 italic or oblique characters

Count of instances: 1