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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
5
REVIEW
5
PASS
3
INFO
0
Checks
13
3 PASS 5 REVIEW 5 FIX
D
Landmark Structure
Action
1 landmarks
FIX
1 landmarks
Critical::
No <main> landmark found
Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.
Info::
1 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
No banner (header) landmark
Info::
No contentinfo (footer) landmark
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 (missing!) NAV MAIN (missing!) CONTENTINFO (missing!)

Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.

Why this matters

Without a <main> landmark, screen-reader users can't skip past the navigation to the page content — every page starts with re-reading the menu.

Learn more ▾

The <main> element marks the page's primary content area. Assistive tech offers a 'jump to main' shortcut — but only if <main> exists. Without it, every page navigation forces re-reading the header. Wrap your primary content in a single <main>.

Source: WAI-ARIA / WCAG 2.4.1

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

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: #647187
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::
1 navigation landmark(s) detected
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 1 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
1 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.
B
Alt Text Quality
1 of 1 images have issues
REVIEW
1 of 1 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.
1 images 1 missing
IssueCount
missing1 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
404 Error Page
HTTP 404, custom page
REVIEW
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
Info::
Navigation links present on 404 page
Info::
Homepage link present on 404 page
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Alternet.org - 404 Not Found ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✗
C
Favicon & Branding
Action
4 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
4 icon(s) detected
Warning::
No favicon.ico at site root
Some older browsers, bookmark tools, and RSS readers look for /favicon.ico. Add one as a fallback.
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
Apple touch icon present
Info::
Multiple icon sizes detected
✗ favicon.ico Missing
✓ PNG Icons Present
✓ Apple Touch Present
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✓ Manifest Icons Present
✓ Multiple Sizes Present
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 20 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

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

0 pass 20 fail WCAG AA
h1 Breaking news, political news, and inves…
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
32px · bottom of viewport
title Alternet.org
1.06:1
#000000
on
#040528
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
a Home
1.06:1
#000000
on
#040528
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
a MSN
1.41:1
#000000
on
#35231A
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
a Commentary
1.08:1
#000000
on
#140B07
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
a Frontpage featured
1.29:1
#000000
on
#1E1F2C
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
a Frontpage videos
3.21:1
#000000
on
#5A5E62
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Frontpage news and politics
1.27:1
#000000
on
#1B1E2C
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
a Culture
1.00:1
#000000
on
#00000B
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Video
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000006
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a AlterNet All-Access
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000001
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a new-stories
1.18:1
#000000
on
#13191C
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Science & Health
1.19:1
#000000
on
#131A1D
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Human Rights
1.19:1
#000000
on
#131A1E
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a most-popular
1.18:1
#000000
on
#12191D
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a Uncategorized
1.08:1
#000000
on
#0A0E11
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a News & Politics
1.02:1
#000000
on
#020304
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a The Right Wing
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a Election '20
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a Environment
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page

2 contrast failures on background images/gradients

These failures are invisible to CSS-based accessibility tools like Lighthouse. The text may be fine on a solid background, but fails when rendered over an image or gradient.

Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 Breaking news, polit…1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
title Alternet.org1.06:14.5:1
#000000
#040528
Fail
a Home1.06:14.5:1
#000000
#040528
Fail
a MSN1.41:14.5:1
#000000
#35231A
Fail
a Commentary1.08:14.5:1
#000000
#140B07
Fail
a Frontpage featured1.29:14.5:1
#000000
#1E1F2C
Fail
a Frontpage videos3.21:14.5:1
#000000
#5A5E62
Fail
a Frontpage news and p…1.27:14.5:1
#000000
#1B1E2C
Fail
a Culture1.00:14.5:1
#000000
#00000B
Fail
a Video1.00:14.5:1
#000000
#000006
Fail
a AlterNet All-Access1.00:14.5:1
#000000
#000001
Fail
a new-stories1.18:14.5:1
#000000
#13191C
Fail
a Science & Health1.19:14.5:1
#000000
#131A1D
Fail
a Human Rights1.19:14.5:1
#000000
#131A1E
Fail
a most-popular1.18:14.5:1
#000000
#12191D
Fail
a Uncategorized1.08:14.5:1
#000000
#0A0E11
Fail
a News & Politics1.02:14.5:1
#000000
#020304
Fail
a The Right Wing1.00:14.5:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
a Election '201.00:14.5:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
a Environment1.00:14.5:1
#000000
#000000
Fail

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.

C
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Action
Score 74/100 — 8 failing, 21 passed
REVIEW
74

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.

ARIA

ARIA dialog elements without accessible names may prevent screen readers users from discerning the purpose of these elements. Learn how to make ARIA dialog elements more accessible.

Why this matters

Informational: a Permissions-Policy directive showing feature -> allowed origins.

Source: MDN Permissions-Policy

Failing Elements
body.logged-out-user > div.tp-busy body.logged-out-user > div.tp-busy

Using ARIA attributes in roles where they are prohibited can mean that important information is not communicated to users of assistive technologies. Learn more about prohibited ARIA roles.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
show search div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11 > div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11_0 > div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11_0_1_0_0 > a#hw_search_icon

These are opportunities to improve the usage of ARIA in your application which may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

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
ADVERTISEMENT div#sSocial_Stream_Element_0_0_10_0_0_4 > div.row > div#sSocial_Stream_Element_0_0_10_0_0_4_0 > div
onestoparticle.com div.videoCube > a.item-label-href > span.video-label-box > span.branding
Learn more div.fc-dialog-content > div.fc-dialog-scrollable-content > button.fc-faq-header > span.fc-faq-label
List of partners. div.fc-dialog-scrollable-content > div.fc-footer > p > a.fc-vendors-list-dialog
Manage options div.fc-dialog > div.fc-footer-buttons-container > button.fc-button > p.fc-manage-options-third-button-label

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

Names and labels

Informative elements should aim for short, descriptive alternate text. Decorative elements can be ignored with an empty alt attribute. Learn more about the `alt` attribute.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11_0 > div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11_0_0 > a > img.logo__image div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11_0 > div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11_0_0 > a > img.logo__image

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
div.footer-subscribe > div#piano-footer-newsletters-subscription-container > div.tp-container-inner > iframe#offer_aa2598a2450ad0af0acc-0 div.footer-subscribe > div#piano-footer-newsletters-subscription-container > div.tp-container-inner > iframe#offer_aa2598a2450ad0af0acc-0

Link text (and alternate text for images, when used as links) that is discernible, unique, and focusable improves the navigation experience for screen reader users. Learn how to make links accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11 > div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11_0 > div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11_0_0 > a div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11 > div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11_0 > div#sTop_Bar_0_0_11_0_0_11_0_0 > a
div#mySidenav > div.header-social > div.inner-header-social > a div#mySidenav > div.header-social > div.inner-header-social > a
div#mySidenav > div.header-social > div.inner-header-social > a div#mySidenav > div.header-social > div.inner-header-social > a
div#mySidenav > div.header-social > div.inner-header-social > a div#mySidenav > div.header-social > div.inner-header-social > a

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.

Best practices

Touch targets with sufficient size and spacing help users who may have difficulty targeting small controls to activate the targets. Learn more about touch targets.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Opinion article.clearfix > div.row > div.rm-col-center > a.widget__section
Opinion article.clearfix > div.row > div.rm-col-center > a.widget__section
google plus icon div.row > div#smost-popular-bottom_0_0_13_0_0_0_0 > div#smost-popular-bottom_0_0_13_0_0_0_0_0 > a
youtube icon div.row > div#smost-popular-bottom_0_0_13_0_0_0_0 > div#smost-popular-bottom_0_0_13_0_0_0_0_0 > a
snapchat icon div.row > div#smost-popular-bottom_0_0_13_0_0_0_0 > div#smost-popular-bottom_0_0_13_0_0_0_0_0 > a

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

Visible text labels that do not match the accessible name can result in a confusing experience for screen reader users. Learn more about accessible names.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
by Taboola div#trc_header_2382789786 > div.trc_header_ext > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_attribution_link
Sponsored Links div#trc_header_2382789786 > div.trc_header_ext > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
○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
●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
●`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
●Document has a `<title>` element
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○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
○Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Select elements have associated label elements.
○Skip links are focusable.
○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.
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○Identical links have the same purpose.
○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.
A+
Heading Hierarchy
52 headings
PASS
52 headings
Info::
Single H1 present
  • H2 Trump agenda goes down in flames in Virginia
  • H2 'Terrified' red state lawmakers face the $1 billion consequences of Trump's agenda
  • H2 Former aide lets slip 'Donald Trump's fear'
  • H2 Dems just handed a game-changing weapon — thanks to Alito and Thomas
  • H2 Scammer used fake woman to grift 'super dumb' MAGA men
  • H2 Ex-GOP aide calls out Trump's 'fool' failures
  • H2 Top historian says Trump is committing 'superpower suicide'
  • H2 Evangelicals forced into a reckoning — thanks to Trump
  • H2 Critics erupt as Trump extends Iran ceasefire in latest 'TACO' moment
  • H2 Trump's next target: DC insider predicts who will get axed next
  • H2 Trump's China strategy torn apart by GOP tax gurus following evidence of failure
  • H2 Supreme Court has gone 'off the rails' — and is now 'at war with itself': report
  • H2 Republican strategist declares Trump official and his 'baggage' must go
  • H2 Republican called out to his face for claiming Dems hate America
  • H2 Bannon's latest 'demonic' meltdown shows how scared Republicans really are
  • H2 Republican breaks from Trump to say families are 'struggling' — but points finger at Biden
  • H2 Trump's redistricting pitch becomes 'the greatest self-own in American political history'
  • H2 Trump’s former strength is now his greatest weakness
  • H2 MAGA 'teetering' as devotees realize this isn’t 'what they signed up for'
  • H2 'Reckoning' as Catholic voters 'twist the knife' in Trump’s new holy war against Pope Leo
  • H2 Critical state election becomes a GOP 'triangular firing squad' over MAGA 'headwinds'
  • H2 Ruby-red Republican territory in jeopardy as GOP struggles to defend Trump stronghold
  • H2 The troubling truth about the White House Correspondents' Dinner
  • H2 Trump is losing his grip — and even Republicans are catching on
  • H2 Today's richest people are painfully stupid
  • H2 Republicans are panicking after a Trump official's admission
  • H2 Trump's presidential library looks like a casino — but that's the point
  • H2 This proposal sounds like a great way to end corruption — but it's a trap
  • H2 Trump's coming after you — but there's a way to fight back
  • H2 The quickest way to end this nightmare
  • H2 Inside the reckoning Trump didn't see coming
  • H2 Conspiracy thinking predicts belief in Trump rumors — but there's a catch
  • H2 Researchers figured out how Trump supporters justify everything — and it's simple
  • H2 Top psychiatrists issue urgent letter to Congress about Trump's mental instability
  • H2 Trump supporters have a secret weapon against bad news about him: report
  • H2 New research shows Trump voters got a mental health boost — but Democrats paid the price
  • H2 We've normalized Trump's messiah complex — and what it means for America
  • H2 Trump believes 'dangerous nonsense' that 'God is on his side': conservative
  • H2 Bishop in Trump's Mar-a-Lago backyard gives sharp rebuke over spat with Pope Leo
  • H2 Church leaders break silence: Trump represents threat to faith
  • H2 'Radiating the spirit of Antichrist': Conservative Christians still unsettled by Trump stunt
  • H1 Breaking news, political news, and investigative news reporting from AlterNet's team of journalists and prize-winning investigators.
  • H2 John Roberts torn apart for power grab exposed in leaked memos
  • H2 Trump’s own aides blow holes in his latest economic claim
  • H2 Republicans accused of 'the largest government cover-up in modern history'
  • H2 Trump's frantic late-night rant claims victory while Iran war falls apart
  • H2 Trump's retribution plan has a massive fatal flaw: former DOJ staffer
  • H2 A theologian has a shocking theory why Trump may be the Antichrist
  • H2 Conservative declares Trump’s two superpowers dead — and he killed them
  • H2 The 'wild card': Trump may have a good reason to fear Melania
  • H2 Trump suffering a huge 'political injury' even he can’t ignore: White House insiders
  • H2 Trump may stay in power indefinitely through this trick
A
Form Accessibility
1 of 3 controls have issues
PASS
1 of 3 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="text" name="q" id="search_big">
Info::
2 control(s) properly labeled
3 controls
2 labeled
1 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
qtextSearcharia-label
qtextType and hit enter...aria-label
#search_bigtext(Type and hit enter...)placeholder only

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

<input type="text" name="q" id="search_big">

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: Alternet
Info::
192x192 icon present
Info::
512x512 icon present
Info::
Display mode: standalone
PWA Install Criteria ✓ Installable
Name Alternet ✓192×192 icon ✓512×512 icon ✓Start URL / ✓Display Mode standalone ✓
Name Alternet Display Mode standalone Theme Color #3367D6 Background Color #3367D6 Icons 2 icon(s)
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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