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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
66
GRADE
D
FIX
4
REVIEW
4
PASS
5
INFO
0
Checks
13
5 PASS 4 REVIEW 4 FIX
F
Form Accessibility
Action
11 of 36 controls have issues
FIX
11 of 36 controls have issues
Critical::
7 control(s) without accessible label
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
Got: <input type="text">; <input type="text">; <input type="text">; <input type="text">; <input type="text">; <input type="text">; <input type="submit" name="submit" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-button-submit">
Warning::
4 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="email" name="npe" id="newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-37737-email">; <input type="email" name="npe" id="newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-3874-email">; <input type="email" name="npe" id="newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-54905-email">; <input type="email" name="npe" id="newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-10996-email">
Info::
25 control(s) properly labeled
36 controls
25 labeled
4 placeholder only
7 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#newspack-newsletters-37737-list-checkbox-13checkboxThe Daily Prospect A daily dose of the ideas, politics and power that shape our world, in your inbox weekday mornings.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-37737-list-checkbox-14checkboxToday On TAP Weekday newsletter features commentary from Robert Kuttner, Harold Meyerson and more, plus links to what's trending at Prospect.org.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-37737-list-checkbox-15checkboxWeekend Reads The best of the week, curated by the editors of The American Prospect, delivered Saturday mornings.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-37737-list-checkbox-28checkboxAftermath A series exploring the economic consequences of the war in Iran.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-3874-list-checkbox-13checkboxThe Daily Prospectfor/id
#newspack-newsletters-3874-list-checkbox-14checkboxToday On TAPfor/id
#newspack-newsletters-3874-list-checkbox-15checkboxWeekend Readsfor/id
#newspack-newsletters-3874-list-checkbox-28checkboxAftermathfor/id
#search-form-1searchSearch for:for/id
#search-form-2searchSearch for:for/id
#newspack-newsletters-54905-list-checkbox-13checkboxThe Daily Prospect A daily dose of the ideas, politics and power that shape our world, in your inbox weekday mornings.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-54905-list-checkbox-14checkboxToday On TAP Weekday newsletter features commentary from Robert Kuttner, Harold Meyerson and more, plus links to what's trending at Prospect.org.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-54905-list-checkbox-15checkboxWeekend Reads The best of the week, curated by the editors of The American Prospect, delivered Saturday mornings.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-54905-list-checkbox-16checkboxPop-up newsletters Limited series newsletters on timely topics, such as the debt limit challenge, budget negotiations and more.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-10996-list-checkbox-13checkboxThe Daily Prospect A daily dose of the ideas, politics and power that shape our world, in your inbox weekday mornings.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-10996-list-checkbox-14checkboxToday On TAP Weekday newsletter features commentary from Robert Kuttner, Harold Meyerson and more, plus links to what's trending at Prospect.org.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-10996-list-checkbox-15checkboxWeekend Reads The best of the week, curated by the editors of The American Prospect, delivered Saturday mornings.for/id
#newspack-newsletters-10996-list-checkbox-16checkboxPop-up newsletters Limited series newsletters on timely topics, such as the debt limit challenge, budget negotiations and more.for/id
#newspack-reader-auth-email-inputemailEmail addressfor/id
#newspack-reader-auth-password-inputpasswordEnter your passwordfor/id
#content-gifting-urltextLinkfor/id
#jp-carousel-comment-form-comment-fieldtextareaWrite a Comment...for/id
#jp-carousel-comment-form-email-fieldtextEmail (Required)for/id
#jp-carousel-comment-form-author-fieldtextName (Required)for/id
#jp-carousel-comment-form-url-fieldtextWebsitefor/id
#newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-10996-emailemail(Email Address)placeholder only
#newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-3874-emailemail(Email Address)placeholder only
#newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-54905-emailemail(Email Address)placeholder only
#newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-37737-emailemail(Email Address)placeholder only
inputtext(none)none
inputtext(none)none
inputtext(none)none
inputtext(none)none
inputtext(none)none
inputtext(none)none
#jp-carousel-comment-form-button-submitsubmit(none)none

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

<input type="text">; <input type="text">; <input type="text">; <input type="text">; <input type="text">; <input type="text">; <input type="submit" name="submit" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-button-submit">

Why this matters

Form controls without labels — assistive tech announces 'edit text' with no context; users can't complete forms.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2

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

<input type="email" name="npe" id="newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-37737-email">; <input type="email" name="npe" id="newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-3874-email">; <input type="email" name="npe" id="newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-54905-email">; <input type="email" name="npe" id="newspack-newsletters-subscribe-block-input-10996-email">

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

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: #fff
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.

F
Navigation UX
Action
No navigation patterns
FIX
No navigation patterns
Info::
4 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 4 <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
Heading Hierarchy
51 headings, 1 skip(s)
REVIEW
51 headings, 1 skip(s)
Info::
Single H1 present
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H6 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
3 empty heading(s)
Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.
  • H2 We want to build a better way: Journalism that is accessible to everyone and supported by readers who can afford to sustain us.
  • H2 The American Prospect
  • H2 The American Prospect
  • H1 Home
  • H2 The Working Families Party Goes National
  • H2 latest
  • H3 John Cavanaugh Against the World
  • H3 A Black Man’s Death at the Hands of Police Is Going Unacknowledged
  • H2 read more
  • H3 North Carolina Farm Stole H-2A Visa Workers’ Passports: Lawsuit
  • H3 Amazon and Trump’s NLRB: So Happy Together!
  • H3 Aftermath: The Hormuz Farm Crisis
  • H3 The Tariff Refund Nightmare
  • H2 listen
  • H3 Organized Money: Big Oil and Big Plastic Are One and the Same
  • H3 Organized Money: The Live Nation Ticketmaster Verdict
  • H3 Organized Money: How AIPAC Tries to Dominate the Business of Politics
  • H2 APRIL 2026 Issue
  • H6 FROM THE MAGAZINE skipped
  • H2 When ICE Blows Through Rural America
  • H2 The Far-Right Cash Machine
  • H2 A Retrospective on Bidenomics
  • H2 In Case You Missed It
  • H3 Trump Showers Health Care Crooks With Love
  • H3 Union Now Is America’s New Strike Fund
  • H3 The Deal That Could Destroy Hollywood
  • H3 Will Americans Keep Paying a ‘Tariff Tax’?
  • H3 Mike Johnson Has a FISA Fiasco on His Hands
  • H2 Support this reporting!
  • H2 Subscribe to our newsletter
  • H2 Today on tap: commentary on the daily news
  • H2 The Working Families Party Goes National
  • H2 Amazon and Trump’s NLRB: So Happy Together!
  • H2 ELECTION 2026
  • H3 John Cavanaugh Against the World
  • H3 American Politics Is Already Inundated With AI Deepfakes. It’s Only Getting Worse.
  • H3 Eric Swalwell and the Death of Accountability
  • H2 culture
  • H3 What, Exactly, Is a Fair Wage?
  • H3 Vertical Vertigo
  • H3 The Legacy of the Subway Vigilante
  • H2 Must Reads
  • H3 Khan vs. Cutter: A Tale of Two Careers
  • H3 Marcus Foundation Bankrolls Pro–Iran War Group
  • H4 Get the latest from the Prospect delivered to your inbox — subscribe for analysis that goes beyond the noise.
  • H2 Support the Prospect
  • H2 Sign in
  • H2 Gift this article
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 (empty)
  • H3 (empty)

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

Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.

Why this matters

Empty <hN> tags break the document outline — screen-reader users navigating by heading hit dead silence.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6

C
404 Error Page
Action
HTTP 404, custom page
REVIEW
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Page not found - The American Prospect ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✗Homepage Link ✗Search Form ✗
B
Favicon & Branding
6 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
6 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
B
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 88/100 — 4 failing, 23 passed
REVIEW
88

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
Sign up form#newspack-subscribe-3 > div.newspack-newsletters-email-input > button.submit-button > span.submit
DONATE div.wp-block-group > div.wp-block-buttons > div.wp-block-button > a.wp-block-button__link

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

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
FROM THE MAGAZINE div.entry-content > div.wp-block-columns > div.wp-block-column > h6.wp-block-heading

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

Names and labels

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
The American Prospect div.middle-header-contain > div.wrapper > div.site-branding > a.custom-logo-link
div > h2.article-section-title > span > a
div.wp-block-group > div.wp-block-group__inner-container > figure.wp-block-image > a div.wp-block-group > div.wp-block-group__inner-container > figure.wp-block-image > a
div.wp-block-columns > div.wp-block-column > figure.wp-block-image > a div.wp-block-columns > div.wp-block-column > figure.wp-block-image > 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
READ div > h2.article-section-title > span > a
div > h2.article-section-title > span > a

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

○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
●Form elements have associated labels
●`[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
●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
●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
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●Identical links have the same purpose.
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○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
○`<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
○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.
○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.
A
Landmark Structure
13 landmarks
PASS
13 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
4 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
All <nav> elements are properly labeled
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 "Tertiary Menu" MAIN ASIDE "Footer" CONTENTINFO footer

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

A+
Alt Text Quality
All 36 images OK
PASS
All 36 images OK
Info::
7 decorative image(s) correctly marked
Info::
29 image(s) with good alt text
36 images 29 good alt text 7 decorative
All images have appropriate alt text.
A+
Web Manifest
PWA-ready
PASS
PWA-ready
Info::
Meets PWA install criteria
Info::
Name present: The American Prospect
Info::
192x192 icon present
Info::
512x512 icon present
Info::
Display mode: minimal-ui
PWA Install Criteria ✓ Installable
Name The American Prospect ✓192×192 icon ✓512×512 icon ✓Start URL https://prospect.org/ ✓Display Mode minimal-ui ✓
Name The American Prospect Display Mode minimal-ui Theme Color #fff Background Color #fff Icons 2 icon(s)
A+
Print Stylesheet
Print styles detected
PASS
Print styles detected
Info::
External print stylesheet detected
Got: https://prospect.org/wp-content/themes/newspack-theme/styles/print.css?ver=2.21.0
Print Stylesheet ✓ Print Optimized
Print stylesheet https://prospect.org/wp-content/themes/newspack-theme/styles/print.css?ver=2.21.0 ✓Inline @media print Not detected ✗
A+
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
20 text elements analyzed, 0 fail WCAG AA
PASS

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

20 pass
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 Home21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 We want to build a b…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 The American Prospec…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 The American Prospec…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Support this reporti…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Subscribe to our new…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Support the Prospect21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Sign in21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Gift this article21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
title The American Prospec…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
p Get the latest stori…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
em Prospect12.86:14.5:1
#000000
#F9BDA7
Pass
p delivered right to y…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span The Daily Prospect21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span A daily dose of the …21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Today On TAP21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Weekday newsletter f…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Weekend Reads21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span The best of the week…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Aftermath21.00:14.5:1
#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.

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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