Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.

SCORE

GRADE

FIX

REVIEW

PASS

INFO

Checks

3 PASS 7 REVIEW 3 FIX

Dark Mode Support

Action

Theme color only

FIX

Theme color only

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: #00aeef

No dark mode signals detected

Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.

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.

Print Stylesheet

Action

No print styles

FIX

No print styles

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 ✗

Navigation UX

Action

No navigation patterns

FIX

No navigation patterns

1 navigation landmark(s) detected

Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)

No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected

These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.

Breadcrumbs

Skip Link

Labeled Navigation 1 <nav> element(s)

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.

Landmark Structure

4 landmarks

REVIEW

4 landmarks

<main> landmark present

1 <nav> landmark(s) found

No banner (header) landmark

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

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

Heading Hierarchy

15 headings

REVIEW

15 headings

No H1 heading found

Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.

H2 Trending
H2 Tech
H2 Entertainment
H2 Creator Hub
H2 Gift Guides
H2 Games
H2 Digital Culture
H2 Watch Now
H2 Life
H2 Reviews
H2 Best Products
H2 Social Good
H2 Science
H2 Deals
H2 Watch Guides

Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.

Why this matters

No H1 means screen-reader users can't identify the page's primary topic, and Google's content-extraction degrades.

Learn more ▾

The H1 is the document title for assistive tech and a strong signal to search engines about page topic. Pages without one force screen readers to fall back to the <title> attribute or page chrome. Add a single H1 that names the page's primary subject.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central

Link & Button Quality

Action

9 issue(s) across 408 links and 26 buttons

REVIEW

9 issue(s) across 408 links and 26 buttons

28 link(s) open in new tab without warning

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

Got: https://games.mashable.com/; https://mashable.com/category/creators; https://games.mashable.com/; https://www.ziffdavis.com/terms-of-use; https://www.ziffdavis.com/ztg-privacy-policy; https://www.j2global.com/careers/jobs/?brand=Mashable; https://www.facebook.com/mashable/; https://twitter.com/mashable; http://instagram.com/Mashable; https://www.youtube.com/user/mashable (+18 more)

9 button(s) with no accessible text

Icon-only buttons need an aria-label so screen readers can announce them.

Got: button.lg:hidden (#972 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1006 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1021 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1041 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1052 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1074 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1093 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1126 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1140 on page)

380 link(s) with descriptive text

408 links

0 empty

0 generic text

28 new tab

9 empty buttons

Element	Text	Issue	Suggested Fix
https://games.mashable.com/	Games	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://mashable.com/category/creators	Creator Hub	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://games.mashable.com/	Games	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.ziffdavis.com/terms-of-use	Terms of Use	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.ziffdavis.com/ztg-privacy-po…	Privacy Policy	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.j2global.com/careers/jobs/?b…	We're Hiring	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.facebook.com/mashable/	Mashable Facebook Page	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://twitter.com/mashable	Mashable Twitter Page	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
http://instagram.com/Mashable	Mashable Instagram Page	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.youtube.com/user/mashable	Mashable Youtube Page	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.pinterest.com/mashable/	Mashable Pinterest Page	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.tiktok.com/@mashable	Mashable Tiktok Page	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://flipboard.com/@Mashable	Mashable Flipboard Page	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.linkedin.com/company/mashabl…	Mashable Linkedin Page	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.ziffdavis.com/	Ziff Davis	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.cnet.com/	CNET	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.zdnet.com/	ZDNet	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.pcmag.com/	PCMag	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.lifehacker.com/	Lifehacker	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.askmen.com/	AskMen	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.extremetech.com/	Extreme Tech	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.ign.com/	IGN	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.ziffdavis.com/about	About Ziff Davis	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.ziffdavis.com/ztg-privacy-po…	Privacy Policy	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.ziffdavis.com/terms-of-use	Terms of Use	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://ziffmedia.com/	Advertise	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.ziffdavis.com/accessibility	Accessibility	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.bbb.org/us/ny/new-york/profi…	BBB Accredited Business Logo	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
<button>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label
<button>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label
<button>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label
<button>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label
<button>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label
<button>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label
<button>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label
<button>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label
<button>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label

397 links and buttons have descriptive text

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

https://games.mashable.com/; https://mashable.com/category/creators; https://games.mashable.com/; https://www.ziffdavis.com/terms-of-use; https://www.ziffdavis.com/ztg-privacy-policy; https://www.j2global.com/careers/jobs/?brand=Mashable; https://www.facebook.com/mashable/; https://twitter.com/mashable; http://instagram.com/Mashable; https://www.youtube.com/user/mashable (+18 more)

Why this matters

Links with target="_blank" without rel="noopener" leak the originating page's window context — security and UX issue.

Learn more ▾

Without rel="noopener", the new tab can navigate the original tab via window.opener (tab-nabbing attack). Modern browsers default to noopener for target=_blank but only since recent versions. Always set rel="noopener noreferrer" explicitly.

Source: MDN target / OWASP

Icon-only buttons need an aria-label so screen readers can announce them.

button.lg:hidden (#972 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1006 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1021 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1041 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1052 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1074 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1093 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1126 on page); button.lg:hidden (#1140 on page)

Why this matters

Buttons with no accessible text (icon-only, no aria-label) can't be activated by voice control or understood by screen readers.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 4.1.2

404 Error Page

HTTP 404, custom page

REVIEW

HTTP 404, custom page

Correct 404 status code returned

Got: HTTP 404

Custom styled 404 page

Navigation links present on 404 page

Homepage link present on 404 page

404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page

Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Mashable ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✗

Favicon & Branding

8 icon(s) detected

REVIEW

8 icon(s) detected

favicon.ico present at site root

HTML icon links detected

Apple touch icon present

Multiple icon sizes detected

✓ favicon.ico Present

✓ PNG Icons Present

✓ Apple Touch Present

✗ SVG Favicon Missing

✓ Manifest Icons Present

✓ Multiple Sizes Present

Web Manifest

Valid manifest

REVIEW

Valid manifest

Name present: Mashable

192x192 icon present

512x512 icon present

Display mode: standalone

PWA Install Criteria Not Installable

Name Mashable ✓192×192 icon ✓512×512 icon ✓Start URL ✗Display Mode standalone ✓

Name Mashable Display Mode standalone Theme Color #ffffff Background Color #ffffff Icons 2 icon(s)

Color Contrast (Screenshot)

Action

20 text elements analyzed, 18 fail WCAG AA

REVIEW

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

2 pass 18 fail WCAG AA 2 pass AA only

h2 Trending

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Tech

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Entertainment

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Creator Hub

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Gift Guides

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Games

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Digital Culture

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Watch Now

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Life

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Reviews

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Best Products

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Social Good

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Science

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Deals

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Watch Guides

2.82:1

#000000

#555555

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

a Creator Hub

1.71:1

#000000

#4C157D

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · top of page (header area)

a Tech

1.62:1

#000000

#44117D

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · top of page (header area)

a Science

2.05:1

#000000

#403876

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient

1 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)

Element	Ratio	Required	FG	BG	Result
h2 Trending	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Tech	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Entertainment	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Creator Hub	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Gift Guides	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Games	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Digital Culture	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Watch Now	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Life	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Reviews	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Best Products	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Social Good	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Science	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Deals	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
h2 Watch Guides	2.82:1	3.0:1	#000000	#555555	Fail
title Mashable	5.24:1	4.5:1	#000000	#7F7F7F	Pass
a The Mashable 101	5.24:1	4.5:1	#000000	#7F7F7F	Pass
a Creator Hub	1.71:1	4.5:1	#000000	#4C157D	Fail
a Tech	1.62:1	4.5:1	#000000	#44117D	Fail
a Science	2.05:1	4.5:1	#000000	#403876	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.

A+

Alt Text Quality

All 63 images OK

PASS

All 63 images OK

1 image(s) with alt text over 125 characters

62 image(s) with good alt text

63 images 62 good alt text

Issue	Count
too long	1 image(s)

A+

Form Accessibility

All 2 controls labeled

PASS

All 2 controls labeled

2 control(s) properly labeled

2 controls

2 labeled

0 placeholder only

0 unlabeled

Control	Type	Label	Method
input	input	Search Mashable Content	aria-label
input	email	Email	aria-label

Lighthouse Accessibility Audits

Score 90/100 — 3 failing, 26 passed

PASS

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.

Names and labels

When a button doesn't have an accessible name, screen readers announce it as "button", making it unusable for users who rely on screen readers. Learn how to make buttons more accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
ul.flex > li > div.flex > button.lg:hidden `ul.flex > li > div.flex > button.lg:hidden`
li > div > div.flex > button.lg:hidden `li > div > div.flex > button.lg:hidden`
li > div.pt-8 > div.flex > button.lg:hidden `li > div.pt-8 > div.flex > button.lg:hidden`
li > div.pt-8 > div.flex > button.lg:hidden `li > div.pt-8 > div.flex > button.lg:hidden`
li > div > div.flex > button.lg:hidden `li > div > div.flex > button.lg:hidden`
li > div.pt-8 > div.flex > button.lg:hidden `li > div.pt-8 > div.flex > button.lg:hidden`
li > div > div.flex > button.lg:hidden `li > div > div.flex > button.lg:hidden`
li > div > div.flex > button.lg:hidden `li > div > div.flex > button.lg:hidden`
li > div.pt-8 > div.flex > button.lg:hidden `li > div.pt-8 > div.flex > button.lg:hidden`

Labels ensure that form controls are announced properly by assistive technologies, like screen readers. Learn more about form element labels.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div.flex > div.flex > form.flex > input `div.flex > div.flex > form.flex > input`

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.

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
Our Privacy Policy `div#onetrust-group-container > div#onetrust-policy > div#onetrust-policy-text > a.ot-cookie-policy-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

●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

●Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.

●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents

●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes

●Background and foreground colors have a sufficient contrast ratio

●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

●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0

●Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.

●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order

●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

○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

○`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title

○`<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

○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.

○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements

○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.

○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.