Success Criterion 1.1.1
Conformance level A

Decorative Bullet Symbols Read Aloud by Screen Readers

1.1.1 — Non-text Content

Scenario

Setting

A survey tool's question builder

What’s wrong

Decorative Unicode glyphs used as visual bullets or dividers (■ ▶ ✦) announced literally by screen readers ("black square") with no aria-hidden (code hiding content from screen readers) handling.

Example

On a survey tool's question builder: decorative Unicode glyphs used as visual bullets or dividers (■ ▶ ✦) announced literally by screen readers ("black square") with no aria-hidden (code hiding content from screen readers) handling.

Why it matters

Blind and low-vision people using screen readers, and anyone who browses with images disabled, when icons or photos carry meaning. On a survey tool's question builder specifically, they can't tell what the image or video is showing.

How to test

Check bullet/divider glyphs (■ ▶ ✦ used as list markers) with a screen reader: if it announces 'black square' or similar instead of staying silent, it fails.

How to fix

Hide decorative glyph bullets from assistive technology (aria-hidden (code hiding content from screen readers)) or replace them with CSS list styling.

Outcome

Fixed, a visitor to a survey tool's question builder can understand the image, video, or audio content.

Who is affected

Blind and low-vision people using screen readers, and anyone who browses with images disabled, when icons or photos carry meaning.

Learn more

Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)