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Thread: Links that open new windows and/or go off site

Number of posts in this thread: 22 (In chronological order)

From: Tom Livingston
Date: Wed, Mar 16 2022 1:12PM
Subject: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
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Listers,

Do links that open new windows/go off the current site need to have an
icon or additional text? Is there a WCAG Guideline covering these?

Thanks

--

Tom Livingston | Senior Front End Developer | Media Logic |
ph: 518.456.3015x231 | fx: 518.456.4279 | medialogic.com

#663399

From: glen walker
Date: Wed, Mar 16 2022 5:31PM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
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It's a nice user experience to have that but WCAG does not require it.

However, if you *do* have an icon that indicates something different about
that link compared to other links, that icon will need alternative text to
convey the same information.

On Wed, Mar 16, 2022 at 1:13 PM Tom Livingston < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> Listers,
>
> Do links that open new windows/go off the current site need to have an
> icon or additional text? Is there a WCAG Guideline covering these?
>
> Thanks
>
>
> --
>
> Tom Livingston | Senior Front End Developer | Media Logic |
> ph: 518.456.3015x231 | fx: 518.456.4279 | medialogic.com
>
>
> #663399
> > > > >

From: Barry
Date: Thu, Mar 17 2022 4:18AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

If the links and buttons are used in expected ways where buttons do actions and links do navigation, then I can't see any violations. However, if they are mixed up, then there might be violations. Take a look at this thread for more details:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/59904544/accessibility-and-links-that-are-buttons-and-vice-versa

Cheers

Barry

From: Swift, Daniel P.
Date: Thu, Mar 17 2022 5:31AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

I could be wrong, but I thought WCAG required notification to users in some capacity if the links would open in a new window … is my memory failing me?

Daniel Swift, MBA
Senior Web Specialist
University Communications and Marketing
West Chester University
610.738.0589

From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > On Behalf Of Tom Livingston
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2022 3:13 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: [WebAIM] Links that open new windows and/or go off site

Listers,

Do links that open new windows/go off the current site need to have an
icon or additional text? Is there a WCAG Guideline covering these?

Thanks

--

Tom Livingston | Senior Front End Developer | Media Logic |
ph: 518.456.3015x231 | fx: 518.456.4279 | medialogic.com

#663399

From: Steve Green
Date: Thu, Mar 17 2022 5:35AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
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Your memory is failing you. WCAG requires prior notification if a change of context (such as a change of viewport) occurs due to changing the setting of a user interface component. However, operating a link or button does not constitute changing the setting of a user interface component.

Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd

From: Swift, Daniel P.
Date: Thu, Mar 17 2022 5:53AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
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Ugh --- thanks, Steve. Of all of the things that I shared with colleagues, I guess it isn't awful that I'm wrong about that :-D

Daniel Swift, MBA
Senior Web Specialist
University Communications and Marketing
West Chester University
610.738.0589

From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > On Behalf Of Steve Green
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2022 7:36 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Links that open new windows and/or go off site

Your memory is failing you. WCAG requires prior notification if a change of context (such as a change of viewport) occurs due to changing the setting of a user interface component. However, operating a link or button does not constitute changing the setting of a user interface component.

Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd

From: Tom Livingston
Date: Thu, Mar 17 2022 6:01AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

Thanks for the responses.

On Wed, Mar 16, 2022 at 7:31 PM glen walker < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> It's a nice user experience to have that but WCAG does not require it.
>
> However, if you *do* have an icon that indicates something different about
> that link compared to other links, that icon will need alternative text to
> convey the same information.
>
> On Wed, Mar 16, 2022 at 1:13 PM Tom Livingston < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> > Listers,
> >
> > Do links that open new windows/go off the current site need to have an
> > icon or additional text? Is there a WCAG Guideline covering these?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > Tom Livingston | Senior Front End Developer | Media Logic |
> > ph: 518.456.3015x231 | fx: 518.456.4279 | medialogic.com
> >
> >
> > #663399
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > --

Tom Livingston | Senior Front End Developer | Media Logic |
ph: 518.456.3015x231 | fx: 518.456.4279 | medialogic.com

#663399

From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Thu, Mar 17 2022 6:17AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

On 17/03/2022 11:31, Swift, Daniel P. wrote:
> I could be wrong, but I thought WCAG required notification to users in some capacity if the links would open in a new window … is my memory failing me?

It's failing you if you were thinking of WCAG 2.x, but it's working very
well if you still remember WCAG 1.0 ;)

https://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/#gl-interim-accessibility

> 10.1 Until user agents allow users to turn off spawned windows, do
not cause pop-ups or other windows to appear and do not change the
current window without informing the user. [Priority 2]
For example, in HTML, avoid using a frame whose target is a new window.

Ah, "good" old days...

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke

https://www.splintered.co.uk/ | https://github.com/patrickhlauke
https://flickr.com/photos/redux/ | https://www.deviantart.com/redux
twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke

From: Andrews, David B (DEED)
Date: Thu, Mar 17 2022 7:21AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
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Someone asked me this question last week, and I poked around for quite a while. They talk about notification when there is "change of context" but nothing I could find ever specifically said when a new window opens.

I am sure others know more than I though!

Dave

From: Steve Green
Date: Thu, Mar 17 2022 7:26AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

The definition of a change of context specifically includes a change of viewport. A new window is one example of a change of viewport.

https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/on-input.html#dfn-changes-of-context

Steve

From: Andrews, David B (DEED)
Date: Thu, Mar 17 2022 7:35AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

Thanks for the clarification.

Dave

From: Tom Livingston
Date: Fri, Mar 18 2022 8:17AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

In light of the below, and I would interpret this as a change of
context, does this mean then that we DO need to notify a user of the
change before it happens?

On Thu, Mar 17, 2022 at 9:26 AM Steve Green
< = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> The definition of a change of context specifically includes a change of viewport. A new window is one example of a change of viewport.
>
> https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/on-input.html#dfn-changes-of-context
>
> Steve
>
>

--

Tom Livingston | Senior Front End Developer | Media Logic |
ph: 518.456.3015x231 | fx: 518.456.4279 | medialogic.com

#663399

From: wolfgang.berndorfer
Date: Fri, Mar 18 2022 8:22AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
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Technically the attribute target="_blank" could be provided with a hint by user agents. I thought that I saw that in a configuration of jaws already. Tested it with Fusion 2022: Default did not give any hint.

For me it is annoying not to know about a new window or tab. For others it might be even confusing.

Didn't find anything in the UAAG, so should it be discussed for UAAG upgrades?

From: Steve Green
Date: Fri, Mar 18 2022 8:49AM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

No, because the change of context is not caused by changing the setting of a user interface component. It is caused by clicking a link.

Steve

From: Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Date: Fri, Mar 18 2022 1:11PM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
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The closest you get in WCAG is SC 3.2.5 - change on request, which is level AAA.
If you plan to meet that in full, not only do you have to warn the
user, you also have to let the user change that setting (i.e. user has
the choice to open the link in the same window), but you typically
have a lot of leeway adopting level AAA guidance.

On 3/18/22, Steve Green < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> No, because the change of context is not caused by changing the setting of a
> user interface component. It is caused by clicking a link.
>
> Steve
>
>

From: Kevin Prince
Date: Mon, Mar 21 2022 4:43PM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

New window yes, change on context 3.2.2
Kevin Prince
Product Accessibility & Usability Consultant

From: Kevin Prince
Date: Mon, Mar 21 2022 4:44PM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

That's really dancing on the head of a pin. The effect is that there's a high likelihood of disorientation by opening a new window unexpectedly - magnification users, cognitively challenged users, screenreaders too won't get the clues that it has happened.

What was the reasoning for making the change of context so restrictive at a WCAG level I wonder?

Kevin
Kevin Prince
Product Accessibility & Usability Consultant

From: Kevin Prince
Date: Mon, Mar 21 2022 4:50PM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

Thanks Glen and Steve, that makes compliance sense given what is written in the letter of 3.2.2 and I agree that, if I stay in the same window but go to another website it's expected (and well signalled in all sorts of ways.) The new website case was always clear in my mind

Having revisited 3.2.2 the advice we're seeing here that opening a link in a new window meets the letter of the checkpoint is correct. I shall be changing my advice in future to best practice and wondering why that use case is not considered worthy - hopefully it will return in 3.0.

All good and thanks again to all for the fascinating and thought-provoking posts

Kev
Kevin Prince
Product Accessibility & Usability Consultant

From: glen walker
Date: Mon, Mar 21 2022 4:56PM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

When you click on a link, you expect for your context to change. That's
what a link is for so 3.2.2 doesn't fail.

The question might be whether the link opens in the same page or opens a
new tab/window. Is the former not a change of context but the latter is?

Personally, I don't fail it. I might point out that it's a nice UX to
notify the user.

On Mon, Mar 21, 2022 at 4:51 PM Kevin Prince < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
wrote:

> That's really dancing on the head of a pin. The effect is that there's a
> high likelihood of disorientation by opening a new window unexpectedly -
> magnification users, cognitively challenged users, screenreaders too won't
> get the clues that it has happened.
>
>
>

From: Kevin Prince
Date: Mon, Mar 21 2022 5:05PM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

From: Steve Green
Date: Mon, Mar 21 2022 9:55PM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | Next message →

Opening new windows was not an omission. It's covered by WCAG SC 3.2.5 (Change on Request), which is level AAA.

Steve

From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > On Behalf Of Kevin Prince
Sent: 21 March 2022 23:05
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Links that open new windows and/or go off site

Thanks Glen and Steve, that makes compliance sense given what is written in the letter of 3.2.2 and I agree that, if I stay in the same window but go to another website it's expected (and well signalled in all sorts of ways.) The new website case was always clear in my mind

Having revisited 3.2.2 the advice we're seeing here that opening a link in a new window meets the letter of the checkpoint is correct. I shall be changing my advice in future to best practice and wondering why that use case is not considered worthy - hopefully it will return in 3.0.

All good and thanks again to all for the fascinating and thought-provoking posts

Kev
Kevin Prince
Product Accessibility & Usability Consultant

Foster Moore
A Teranet Company

E = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = <mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Christchurch
fostermoore.com<http://www.fostermoore.com/>;

From: Kevin Prince
Date: Mon, Mar 28 2022 5:03PM
Subject: Re: Links that open new windows and/or go off site
← Previous message | No next message

Thanks Steve - that makes a lot of sense. It's good to be reminded that AAA checkpoints are there - too often we ignore them in favour of the AA ones that our clients concentrate on them.

It's good to be back in the space properly and have time to do this level of dissection.

Kevin
Access Advisers NZ
Kevin Prince
Product Accessibility & Usability Consultant