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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
63
GRADE
D
FIX
4
REVIEW
5
PASS
4
INFO
0
Checks
13
4 PASS 5 REVIEW 4 FIX
F
404 Error Page
Action
Soft 404 detected
FIX
Soft 404 detected
Critical::
Soft 404: server returns HTTP 200 for non-existent pages
The server returns HTTP 200 for a path that does not exist. Search engines will index these pages, diluting your real content. Configure your server to return a proper 404 status code for missing pages.
Got: Status: 200 for /beavercheck-404-test-pjf3e0
404 Page Quality ✗ Soft 404 (HTTP 200)
Status Code: HTTP 200

The server returned HTTP 200 for a non-existent path. Search engines will index this page as real content. Configure your server to return HTTP 404 for missing pages.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
Theme color only
FIX
Theme color only
Info::
Theme-color present but no dark variant
A theme-color is set but no dark-specific variant was found. The browser toolbar may not adapt for dark mode users.
Got: #ffffff
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModePartial Dark Mode
color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found ✗Inline @media print Not detected ✗
F
Navigation UX
Action
No navigation patterns
FIX
No navigation patterns
Info::
2 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Info::
No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected
These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link
Labeled Navigation 2 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
2 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.
B
Landmark Structure
8 landmarks
REVIEW
8 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
2 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
1 of 2 <nav> elements are unlabeled
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Warning::
Skip navigation link is missing (WCAG 2.4.1)
Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV "Quick access" MAIN CONTENTINFO footer

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Why this matters

Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.

Learn more ▾

When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.

Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Why this matters

Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1

C
Alt Text Quality
Action
1 of 15 images have issues
REVIEW
1 of 15 images have issues
Critical::
1 image(s) missing alt attribute
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Critical::
1 image-in-link without alt text
An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.
Info::
4 image(s) with alt text over 125 characters
Info::
4 decorative image(s) correctly marked
Info::
6 image(s) with good alt text
15 images 6 good alt text 4 decorative 1 missing
IssueCount
missing1 image(s)
too long4 image(s)

Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.

Why this matters

Each image without alt text is a WCAG 1.1.1 failure — invisible to screen-reader users, lost from Google Image Search.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.1 Level A requires text alternatives for non-decorative images. Empty alt='' is fine for decorative; meaningful images need descriptive text. Common fixes: CMS audit + bulk add, build-time linter (alt-text-required ESLint rule), CI gate on Lighthouse a11y score.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.1.1 / WebAIM Million Report

An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.

Why this matters

Image-only links with no alt create empty links — screen-reader users hear 'link' with no destination context.

Learn more ▾

An <a><img></a> with no img alt is the worst-case for accessibility: AT announces the link but can't describe where it goes. Either add alt to the image OR add aria-label to the link.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4

B
Favicon & Branding
20 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
20 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
Apple touch icon present
Info::
Multiple icon sizes detected
✓ favicon.ico Present
✓ PNG Icons Present
✓ Apple Touch Present
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✓ Manifest Icons Present
✓ Multiple Sizes Present
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 3 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

17 pass 3 fail WCAG AA
title Le Monde in English – World news, cult…
1.46:1
#000000
on
#292A2B
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Content
1.46:1
#000000
on
#292A2B
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Menu
1.46:1
#000000
on
#292A2B
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h3 Sections21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 French Focus21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Opinion21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Informations légale…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Le Monde Legal infor…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
title Le Monde in English …1.46:14.5:1
#000000
#292A2B
Fail
span Content1.46:14.5:1
#000000
#292A2B
Fail
span Menu1.46:14.5:1
#000000
#292A2B
Fail
span Search21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Footer21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Date:21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Monday, April 6, 202…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Time:21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span 11:35 pm (Paris)21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Menu21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Menu21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Go Back to the HomeP…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Your account21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Your account21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Subscribe21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

A
Heading Hierarchy
9 headings, 1 skip(s)
PASS
9 headings, 1 skip(s)
Info::
Single H1 present
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H1 → H4 (missing H2)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
  • H1 A wave of dissent sweeps through Servant of the People, Zelensky's party
  • H4 Editor’s Picks skipped
  • H4 Opinion
  • H4 Most read
  • H3 Sections
  • H3 French Focus
  • H3 Opinion
  • H3 Informations légales le Monde
  • H3 Le Monde Legal informations

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

A
Form Accessibility
1 of 1 controls have issues
PASS
1 of 1 controls have issues
Warning::
1 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="search">
1 controls
0 labeled
1 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
inputsearch(Search an article)placeholder only

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

<input type="search">

Why this matters

Placeholder-only labels disappear when the user starts typing — they must remember what the field was for.

Learn more ▾

Placeholders are NOT labels. They vanish on input, fail color contrast checks (most are gray), and don't satisfy WCAG SC 3.3.2. Always use a real <label> alongside (or aria-labelledby).

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2 / Nielsen Norman

A+
Web Manifest
PWA-ready
PASS
PWA-ready
Info::
Meets PWA install criteria
Info::
Name present: Le Monde
Info::
192x192 icon present
Info::
512x512 icon present
Info::
Display mode: standalone
PWA Install Criteria ✓ Installable
Name Le Monde ✓192×192 icon ✓512×512 icon ✓Start URL / ✓Display Mode standalone ✓
Name Le Monde Display Mode standalone Theme Color #ffffff Background Color #ffffff Icons 12 icon(s)
A
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 91/100 — 3 failing, 23 passed
PASS
91

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

Contrast

Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
SITARA CELINA RAJH FOR LE MONDE section.area > div.article > div.lmd-link-clickarea > div.article__media-credit
Valentine Faure div.article > a > div.article__wrapper > p.article__byline
11 min read section.area > div.article > a > p.article__footer-info
Alexandre Aublanc div.article > a > div.article__wrapper > p.article__byline
8 min read div.area > div.article > a > p.article__footer-info
Olivier Faye div.article > a > div.article__wrapper > p.article__byline
14 min read div.area > div.article > a > p.article__footer-info
Léo Bourdin div.article > a > div.article__wrapper > p.article__byline
4 min read div.area > div.article > a > p.article__footer-info
Columnist a > div.article__author > div > div.article__author-desc
Economist a > div.article__author > div > div.article__author-desc

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

Names and labels

Screen reader users rely on frame titles to describe the contents of frames. Learn more about frame titles.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
body#js-body > iframe#multisync-allowlist-iframe body#js-body > iframe#multisync-allowlist-iframe

These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Navigation

Properly ordered headings that do not skip levels convey the semantic structure of the page, making it easier to navigate and understand when using assistive technologies. Learn more about heading order.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Editor’s Picks div#habillagepub > section.zone > div.area > h4.area__title

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
○The page has a logical tab order
○Visual order on the page follows DOM order
○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
○Custom controls have associated labels
○Custom controls have ARIA roles
●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
●`[role]` values are valid
●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
●Buttons have an accessible name
●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
●Document has a `<title>` element
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
●Links have a discernible name
●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
●Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●Identical links have the same purpose.
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
○Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
○Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
○`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
○ARIA IDs are unique
○No form fields have multiple labels
○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
○Input buttons have discernible text.
○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
○Form elements have associated labels
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Select elements have associated label elements.
○Skip links are focusable.
○No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
○`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
○All heading elements contain content.
○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.
○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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