• Success Criterion 1.2.3
  • Conformance level A

Text-Alternative Exception Claimed Without a Real Text Version

1.2.3 — Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)

Scenario

Setting

A hotel booking site's room-selection page

What’s wrong

Relying on the "media alternative for text" exception without the clearly-labeled text version actually existing on the page.

Example 

<video src="/rooms/oceanview-suite-tour.mp4" controls></video>
<p class="video-note">A full text description of this video is available on this page.</p>
<!-- No such text description actually exists anywhere in the markup -->

Why it matters

A blind traveler reads the promise of a text description, searches the whole page for it, and finds nothing, wasting time before giving up on the room details.

How to test

Check whether the 'media alternative for text' exception is being relied on: confirm a clearly labeled, complete text version actually exists — if not, the exception doesn't apply and it fails.

How to fix

Never claim the media-alternative-for-text exception unless the labeled text version genuinely exists on the page.

<video src="/rooms/oceanview-suite-tour.mp4" controls></video>
<h3 id="room-desc-heading">Full text description of this video</h3>
<p id="room-desc">
  The Oceanview Suite features a king bed facing floor-to-ceiling windows,
  a private balcony with two lounge chairs, and a marble bathroom with a
  soaking tub facing the water.
</p>

Outcome

A blind traveler reads the real room description and books the oceanview suite with confidence.

Who is affected

Blind and low-vision users trusting the stated exception get no actual content, and may not realize the promised text is simply missing.

Learn more

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