Abendfokus.de is committed to making its website accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, and we strive to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA. We continuously review our design, code, and content to remove barriers, and we welcome feedback at accessibility@abendfokus.de.
What accessibility standards does Abendfokus follow?
We design and develop abendfokus.de to conform with WCAG 2.2 Level AA, the international standard for digital accessibility. This means we aim to make our news articles, navigation, and interactive features perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for people using assistive technologies such as screen readers, voice navigation, and switch devices.
Our editorial and technical teams work together to maintain compliance as we update the site. We test regularly using automated tools and manual audits, and we address issues as part of our standard development cycle. Any deviations from the standard are documented and scheduled for remediation.
How do we ensure keyboard navigation and focus?
All interactive elements on abendfokus.de — including links, buttons, form fields, and video controls — are operable using only a keyboard. We provide visible focus indicators (a clear outline or colour change) so that users can see where they are on the page as they tab through content.
We avoid keyboard traps: you can navigate into and out of every component without being stuck. Our custom widgets, such as the article filter or cookie-consent banner, follow standard keyboard patterns. If you encounter a focus issue, please let us know at accessibility@abendfokus.de.
What have we done about contrast and reduced motion?
We choose colour combinations that meet WCAG 2.2 AA contrast ratios for normal text (at least 4.5:1) and large text (at least 3:1). Link text is distinguishable from surrounding body text, and we do not rely on colour alone to convey information — for example, error states include an icon or text label.
We respect the prefers-reduced-motion setting in your operating system or browser. If you have enabled reduced motion, animations, transitions, and scrolling effects on abendfokus.de will be minimised or removed. This applies to auto-playing carousels, parallax backgrounds, and hover animations. Essential movement, such as loading spinners, is kept to a functional minimum.
What you can expect from us
We treat accessibility as an ongoing commitment, not a one‑time project. Our team reviews new features for accessibility before launch, and we provide training for editors on writing alternative text and structuring headings. We also test with users who rely on assistive technologies when possible.
We publish an editorial policy and a complaints procedure that cover how we handle feedback on all aspects of our journalism, including accessibility. If you report an issue, we will acknowledge it within five business days and provide a timeline for a fix or a workaround.
What are the known limitations?
While we aim for full WCAG 2.2 AA compliance, some areas may not yet meet every criterion. For example:
- Older articles published before our current accessibility standards may contain images without adequate alternative text or documents in PDF format that are not fully tagged.
- Third-party embeds (such as social‑media posts, maps, or video players) may have inconsistent accessibility. We select vendors who demonstrate accessibility commitment and we provide text alternatives where possible.
- Some interactive charts and data visualisations may rely on colour or complex interactions. We are working to offer table‑based alternatives.
We list known issues on our accessibility roadmap and update this statement as we resolve them. For the current status, contact our accessibility team.
How can you report an accessibility issue?
We encourage you to tell us about any barrier you experience on abendfokus.de. Send a clear description, including the page URL and the type of problem, to accessibility@abendfokus.de. If you prefer a different communication method, you can use our general contact form at /about-us/contact/ or submit a complaint via our complaints procedure.
We treat all reports seriously. Our team will investigate and respond with a proposed resolution or an explanation of why the issue cannot be changed immediately. We also work with our fact‑checking and editorial teams (see editorial policy) to ensure that corrections or improvements are handled promptly.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions about this accessibility statement or about using abendfokus.de with assistive technology, please reach out to our accessibility team at accessibility@abendfokus.de. You can also contact our customer and reader services or use the formal complaints process. We are here to help.