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2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context)

What a link is for can be told from its text, alone or with the text around it.

Level A

What the automated checks look for

Image map areas have no text alternative

Each image-map area needs a text alternative for its link.

Who it affects. A screen reader announces each region of the image map as a link with no name, so blind people can't tell where any of them go.

How to fix it. Give every area with an href an alt that says where the link goes.

<area shape="rect" coords="0,0,80,40" href="/west" alt="West region">

A link with no text doesn't say where it goes, so its purpose can't be determined.

Who it affects. A screen reader announces "link" and nothing else, often an icon link, so blind people can't tell where it goes. Voice control users can't say its name to follow it.

How to fix it. Give the link text. For an icon-only link, add an aria-label and hide the icon from assistive technology.

<a href="/pricing" aria-label="Pricing">
  <svg aria-hidden="true">…</svg>
</a>

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