• Success Criterion 1.2.1
  • Conformance level A
  • W3C reference F30

Audio Description File Left as a Filename, Not Real Text

1.2.1 — Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)

Scenario

Setting

A childcare-booking service's scheduling page

What’s wrong

The 'alt text' is not really a description — it's a filename (IMG_0234.jpg) or filler word like 'image', which tells the user nothing.

Example 

<div class="how-to-book-demo">
  <video src="/media/IMG_0234.mp4" autoplay muted loop playsinline></video>
  <a href="/media/IMG_0234.mp4">IMG_0234.mp4</a>
</div>

Why it matters

A parent booking a drop-off slot who can't watch the silent clip gets a filename instead of instructions, so they never learn that dragging the highlighted day opens the time grid.

How to test

Check any filename-style or placeholder text standing in for a transcript/description (e.g., linked file named 'transcript.txt' with no real content) — verify it contains actual content, not a stub.

How to fix

A text alternative must describe what the video shows, not just name the file it came from.

<div class="how-to-book-demo">
  <video src="/media/slot-picker-demo.mp4" autoplay muted loop playsinline aria-hidden="true"></video>
  <a href="/media/slot-picker-transcript.html">Text steps: choosing a drop-off time slot</a>
</div>

Outcome

A parent using a screen reader reads the three booking steps aloud and reserves a slot without ever opening the video.

Who is affected

Screen reader users hear the link name read aloud as "IMG_0234.mp4," which tells them nothing about how the booking calendar actually works.

Learn more

Related scenarios