WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: [EXT]Requirement Or Nice To Have: When Links Leave A Site

for

From: Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Date: Aug 10, 2021 4:56AM


If there is no visual indication of links that open in a new window,
open a PDF file, or leave the site, WCAG does not require it.
The closest it comes is WCAG 3.2.5 (which is a level AAA requirement,
and thus considered best practice).
If, however, there is a visual indication (icons or formatting)
identifying links that do anything special, then WCAG SC 1.1.1 kicks
in and requires that there is text or programmatic equivalent info
available.




On 8/10/21, Geetha Shamanna < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> I have come across web sites where links that point to external pages are
> simply labelled 'opens in a new window'. Does that violate 2.4.4?
>
> Geetha
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Jared
> Smith
> Sent: Monday, August 9, 2021 7:08 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] [EXT] Re: Requirement Or Nice To Have: When Links
> Leave A Site
>
> G201 is about opening new windows (which is not a WCAG failure until AAA),
> not providing indications for links that go to external sites. There is no
> WCAG requirement that links to external sites be indicated – this is really
> a usability question rather than an accessibility question.
> Jared
> > > http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
> > > > >


--
Work hard. Have fun. Make history.