MEDIUMWCAG 2.4.4 A
Ambiguous Link Text
Lists of links use identical labels like "Learn more" without context, making navigation confusing.
Try It Yourself
Demo warning
Screen readers announce a list of identical links with no destination context.
Open the link list and listen to the SR transcript showing repeated link names.
Visual cards
Pricing
Learn moreSecurity
Learn moreSupport
Learn more
Screen reader link list:
- link, Learn more
- link, Learn more
- link, Learn more
Manual Testing Protocol
Follow this sequence to reproduce the failure consistently and verify the fix with the same workflow.
1. Setup
- Enable screen reader simulation.
- Focus the list of links in the demo panel.
2. Reproduction Steps
- Navigate through the link list using Tab or link shortcuts.
- Listen to the link labels as announced.
- Attempt to choose the correct destination without surrounding context.
3. Expected Failure Signals
- Links announce identical labels like "Learn more".
- User cannot distinguish destinations from link text alone.
- Navigation is trial-and-error.
4. Fix Verification
- Links include destination or purpose in the label.
- Screen reader announces unique link names.
- Link list is meaningful without surrounding headings.
Evidence Capture Checklist
- Record the exact user goal that fails (for example: submit form, complete checkout, navigate menu).
- Capture screen recording + keyboard path from first interaction to failure state.
- Map failure to WCAG 2.4.4 (Level A) and affected user groups.
- Document business impact: conversion loss, support burden, legal/compliance risk, or trust damage.
The Impact
What Happens
- Users cannot distinguish destinations
- Navigation becomes trial-and-error
- Cognitive load increases with each repeated label
Who Gets Hurt
Screen reader users
Users with memory and attention constraints
The Broken Code
<ul>
<li><a href="/pricing">Learn more</a></li>
<li><a href="/security">Learn more</a></li>
<li><a href="/support">Learn more</a></li>
</ul>WCAG 2.4.4: Reference
"The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its programmatically determined link context."
Level A - Links should communicate destination or purpose without forcing guesswork.
Related Medium Issues
Explore neighboring failures in the same severity band.