Accessibility digest

Introduction

How accessible is the Freedom of the Press Foundation web page at https://freedom.press/?

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 1753, the sum of 510 for the count of issues, 979 for specific issues, 225 for tool-by-tool ratings, 0 for the page preventing tools from running, 39 for browser warnings, and 0 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: target small

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

WCAG: 2.5.5

Score: 171

Violations of testaro rules

Rule targetSize

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

Count of instances: 57

Issue: element not focusable

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

WCAG: 2.1.1

Score: 108

Violations of testaro rules

Rule focAll

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

Count of instances: 54

Issue: link indication poor

Impact: User cannot differentiate a link from plain text

WCAG: 1.3.3

Score: 64

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r62

Description: Inline link is not distinct from the surrounding text except by color

Count of instances: 1

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: 19

Violations of testaro rules

Rule linkUl

Description: Inline links are not underlined

Count of instances: 32

Issue: focusable element hidden

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

WCAG: 4.1.2

Score: 64

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: 16

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-ACT-R13

Description: Element with aria-hidden has focusable content

Count of instances: 1

Issue: line height low

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 1.4.8

Score: 50

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r73

Description: Text line height is not at least 1.5

Count of instances: 4

Violations of testaro rules

Rule lineHeight

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

Count of instances: 25

Issue: focus indication poor

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

WCAG: 2.4.7

Score: 44

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r65

Description: Element in the sequential focus order has no visible focus

Count of instances: 2

Violations of testaro rules

Rule focInd

Description: Focused element displays a nonstandard or no focus indicator

Count of instances: 11

Issue: text contrast poor

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 1.4.3

Score: 44

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r69

Description: Text outside widget has subminimum contrast

Count of instances: 10

Violations of axe rules

Rule color-contrast

Description: Element has insufficient color contrast

Count of instances: 10

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-ACT-R37

Description: Text has less than the minimum contrast

Count of instances: 11

Violations of wave rules

Rule contrast

Description: Very low contrast

Count of instances: 11

Issue: color missing

Impact: Content is impossible to perceive under some conditions

WCAG: 1.4.3

Score: 44

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-WCAG-T31

Description: Foreground or background color is specified but not both

Count of instances: 11

Issue: content beyond landmarks

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

WCAG: 1.3.6

Score: 37

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r57

Description: Perceivable text content is not included in any landmark

Count of instances: 22

Violations of axe rules

Rule region

Description: Some page content is not contained by landmarks

Count of instances: 7

Violations of ibm rules

Rule aria_content_in_landmark

Description: Content is not within a landmark element

Count of instances: 37

Issue: text contrast improvable

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 1.4.6

Score: 36

Violations of alfa rules

Rule r66

Description: Text contrast less than AAA requires

Count of instances: 27

Violations of aslint rules

Rule color_contrast_aaa7

Description: Text has contrast less than 7:1

Count of instances: 24

Rule color_contrast_aaa

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

Count of instances: 12

Violations of axe rules

Rule color-contrast-enhanced

Description: Element has insufficient color contrast (Level AAA)

Count of instances: 25

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.1_4_6.G17.Fail

Description: Text has insufficient contrast

Count of instances: 14

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-ACT-R76

Description: Text has less than the enhanced minimum contrast

Count of instances: 11

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: error reference invalid

Impact: User cannot correct a form error

WCAG: 3.3.1

Score: 28

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-ACT-R41

Description: Error message describes no invalid form field value

Count of instances: 7

Issue: links named identically

Impact: User cannot get help differentiating links

WCAG: 2.4.4

Score: 26

Violations of aslint rules

Rule links_same_content_different_url

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

Count of instances: 6

Violations of testaro rules

Rule linkAmb

Description: Links with the same text content have different destinations

Count of instances: 13

Issue: element beyond display when focused

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

WCAG: 1.4.10

Score: 18

Violations of testaro rules

Rule focVis

Description: Element when focused is off the display

Count of instances: 6

Issue: link not named

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

WCAG: 2.4.4

Score: 16

Violations of aslint rules

Rule empty_link_element

Description: Element has no visible and accessible name

Count of instances: 1

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.4_1_2.H91.A.EmptyNoId

Description: Link has no name or id attribute or value

Count of instances: 1

Violations of ibm rules

Rule a_text_purpose

Description: Hyperlink has no link text, label, or image with a text alternative

Count of instances: 4

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-ACT-R12

Description: Link has no accessible name

Count of instances: 4

Issue: attribute invalid

Impact: Item behaves improperly

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 16

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule The itemprop attribute was specified, but the element is not a property of any item.

Description: itemprop attribute is on an element that is not a property of an item

Count of instances: 4

Issue: landmarks not distinctly named

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

WCAG: 1.3.6

Score: 15

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: 5

Issue: inconsistent heading, link, or button styles

Impact: User cannot easily distinguish items of different types

WCAG: 3.2.4

Score: 14

Violations of testaro rules

Rule styleDiff

Description: Heading, link, and button style inconsistencies

Count of instances: 14

Issue: nav links not list

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

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 12

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.1_3_1.H48

Description: Navigation links are not coded as a list

Count of instances: 2

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: 6

Issue: text contrast issues not testable

Impact: Text may be difficult to read

WCAG: 1.4.3

Score: 12

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.1_4_3_F24.F24.FGColour

Description: Inline foreground color may lack a complementary background color

Count of instances: 1

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: 3

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: 5

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: 1

Rule AAA.1_4_6.G18.BgImage

Description: Contrast between the text and the background image may be less than 4.5:1

Count of instances: 2

Issue: no role-required name

Impact: User cannot get help understanding an item

WCAG: 4.1.2

Score: 12

Violations of ibm rules

Rule aria_accessiblename_exists

Description: Element has no accessible name, although its role requires one

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: 4

Violations of wave rules

Rule link_redundant

Description: Adjacent links go to the same URL

Count of instances: 6

Issue: code obsolete

Impact: Document contains code that is no longer standard

WCAG: 4.1

Score: 9

Violations of ibm rules

Rule element_attribute_deprecated

Description: Element or attribute is obsolete

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: 9

Violations of ibm rules

Rule aria_navigation_label_unique

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

Count of instances: 3

Issue: image dubiously named

Impact: Helper may describe an image inadequately

WCAG: 1.1.1

Score: 9

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-WCAG-T8

Description: Text alternative is not an alternative

Count of instances: 9

Violations of wave rules

Rule alt_suspicious

Description: Image text alternative is suspicious

Count of instances: 1

Issue: parent invalid

Impact: User cannot properly operate an item

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 8

Violations of nuVal rules

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

Description: Element has an invalid parent

Count of instances: 2

Issue: form submission button missing

Impact: User cannot easily submit a form

WCAG: 3.2.2

Score: 6

Violations of aslint rules

Rule missing_submit_button

Description: Element is a form but contains no input or button element for submission

Count of instances: 2

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.3_2_2.H32.2

Description: Form has no submit button

Count of instances: 1

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-WCAG-T19

Description: Submit button not provided

Count of instances: 2

Issue: svg image not named

Impact: User cannot get help understanding an image

WCAG: 1.1.1

Score: 4

Violations of aslint rules

Rule accessible_svg

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

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

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.4_1_2.H91.Button.Name

Description: Button element has no accessible name

Count of instances: 1

Violations of qualWeb rules

Rule QW-ACT-R11

Description: Button has no accessible name

Count of instances: 1

Violations of wave rules

Rule button_empty

Description: Button is empty or has no value text

Count of instances: 1

Issue: control label invisible

Impact: User cannot understand how to operate a form item

WCAG: 2.4.6

Score: 4

Violations of aslint rules

Rule label_visually_hidden_only

Description: Form control has a label but it is not visible

Count of instances: 1

Issue: link href missing

Impact: Helper cannot properly explain a link to a user

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 4

Violations of aslint rules

Rule missing_href_on_a

Description: Link has no href attribute

Count of instances: 2

Violations of testaro rules

Rule linkTo

Description: Link has no href attribute

Count of instances: 1

Issue: input not named

Impact: User cannot get help on what information to enter in a form item

WCAG: 4.1.2

Score: 4

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.4_1_2.H91.InputSearch.Name

Description: Search input has no accessible name

Count of instances: 1

Issue: control not named

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

WCAG: 4.1.2

Score: 4

Violations of ibm rules

Rule input_label_exists

Description: Element with the role of a form control has no associated label

Count of instances: 1

Violations of wave rules

Rule label_missing

Description: form element has no label

Count of instances: 1

Issue: heading names repeated

Impact: User cannot differentiate parts of the document

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 4

Violations of testaro rules

Rule headingAmb

Description: Heading has the same text as a previous sibling heading at the same level

Count of instances: 2

Issue: role redundant

Impact: Document includes unnecessary code

WCAG: 4.1.2

Score: 4

Violations of testaro rules

Rule role

Description: Invalid, native-replacing, or redundant role

Count of instances: 4

Issue: title attribute invalid

Impact: User cannot hover to get help explaining an item

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 4

Violations of testaro rules

Rule titledEl

Description: title attribute belongs to an inappropriate element

Count of instances: 1

Issue: image named with filename

Impact: Helper gives a user the filename of an image instead of describing it

WCAG: 1.1.1

Score: 3

Violations of aslint rules

Rule alt_text_include_filename

Description: Image text alternative includes a filename

Count of instances: 1

Issue: labeling risky

Impact: User may misunderstand a form control

WCAG: 3.3.2

Score: 3

Violations of aslint rules

Rule missing_labelN

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

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: type redundant

Impact: Document includes unnecessary code

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 3

Violations of nuVal rules

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

Rule The type attribute is unnecessary for JavaScript resources.

Description: type attribute is unnecessary for a JavaScript resource

Count of instances: 2

Issue: fieldset possibly missing

Impact: User may be unable to get help recognizing a group of related form items

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 2

Violations of aslint rules

Rule group_elements_name_attribute

Description: Element is an input with a name attribute but has no fieldset parent

Count of instances: 2

Issue: link destination not URL

Impact: Helper cannot properly explain a link to a user

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 2

Violations of aslint rules

Rule unclear_anchor_uri

Description: Link destination is #, a script, or empty

Count of instances: 2

Issue: link incomplete

Impact: User may fail to reach a promised location

WCAG: 1.3.1

Score: 2

Violations of htmlcs rules

Rule AAA.4_1_2.H91.A.Placeholder

Description: Link has text but no href, id, or name attribute

Count of instances: 1

Issue: autocomplete missing

Impact: User cannot get help entering personal information in a form

WCAG: 1.3.5

Score: 2

Violations of testaro rules

Rule autocomplete

Description: Name or email input is missing its required autocomplete attribute

Count of instances: 1

Issue: text distortion

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 3.1.5

Score: 2

Violations of testaro rules

Rule distortion

Description: Element text is distorted by a transform style property

Count of instances: 2

Issue: noscript element possibly not equivalent

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

WCAG: 4.1

Score: 2

Violations of wave rules

Rule noscript

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

Count of instances: 2

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: void element has trailing slash

Impact: Document contains invalid code

WCAG: 4.1

Score: 1

Violations of nuVal rules

Rule Trailing slash on void elements has no effect and interacts badly with unquoted attribute values.

Description: Void element has a useless trailing slash.

Count of instances: 1

Issue: z-index not zero

Impact: User cannot predict the effect of clicking

WCAG: 1.4

Score: 1

Violations of testaro rules

Rule zIndex

Description: Element has a nondefault z-index value

Count of instances: 1

Issue: image name redundant

Impact: Helper repeats the explanation of an image

WCAG: 1.1.1

Score: 1

Violations of wave rules

Rule alt_redundant

Description: Redundant text alternative

Count of instances: 1

Issue: all-capital text

Impact: Text is difficult to read

WCAG: 3.1.5

Score: 0

Violations of aslint rules

Rule capital_letters_words

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

Count of instances: 19

Violations of testaro rules

Rule allCaps

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

Count of instances: 4