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ADA Compliance Guide

Media & Publishing ADA Compliance Guide 2026

Understand the ADA and WCAG 2.1 AA expectations that apply to media & publishing sites, plus the most common issues we find in scans.

Industry-specific ADA requirements

  • Article content must be structured with proper semantic headings
  • Embedded media (video, audio, podcasts) requires captions and transcripts
  • Paywalls and subscription flows must be keyboard accessible
  • Image-heavy articles need descriptive alt text
  • Newsletter signup forms must have proper labels

Common accessibility issues

  • Auto-playing videos without pause controls
  • Podcast players inaccessible to screen readers
  • Infinite scroll breaking keyboard navigation
  • Low contrast text over hero images
  • Popup subscription modals trapping focus
  • Social sharing buttons without accessible labels
  • Complex data visualizations lacking text alternatives

Lawsuit risk

Current lawsuit exposure for this industry is considered high. Businesses in higher-risk categories should prioritize audits and remediation to reduce ADA complaints.

Compliance checklist

  • Add captions to all video and audio content
  • Ensure subscription flows work with keyboard only
  • Provide text alternatives for infographics and charts
  • Use semantic headings for article structure
  • Allow users to pause auto-playing media
  • Label social sharing and comment buttons
  • Test paywall modals for focus management
  • Verify contrast on text overlays

Related resources

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