Lagepunkt (lagepunkt.de) is committed to making its digital news content accessible to all readers, including people with disabilities. We aim to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA as a minimum standard, and we continuously test and improve our site to remove barriers. Your feedback helps us do better – you can reach our accessibility team at accessibility@lagepunkt.de.
What accessibility standards do we follow?
We follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA as our technical benchmark. This standard covers criteria for perception, operability, understanding, and robustness – such as text alternatives, keyboard operability, sufficient colour contrast, and predictable navigation. Our editorial and design teams review these guidelines when updating the site.
Compliance is assessed using automated testing tools and manual audits by our fact-checking and editorial team, led by Lisa Schumacher (fact-checking policy). We also engage users with disabilities for direct testing where possible. Any new features or design changes are checked for accessibility before launch.
How do we ensure keyboard navigation and focus?
Every interactive element on Lagepunkt – links, buttons, forms, and media controls – is operable by keyboard alone, with a visible focus indicator that meets contrast requirements. Users can tab through the page in a logical order, skip to main content via a visible skip link, and activate controls using Enter or Space.
We test keyboard navigation regularly on desktop and mobile browsers. If you encounter a focus trap or an element that is unreachable by keyboard, please report it to accessibility@lagepunkt.de. Our technical team will investigate and prioritise a fix.
What about contrast and reduced motion?
We maintain a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, in line with WCAG 2.2 Level AA. All background and foreground colour combinations – including those used in data visualisations, charts, and interactive elements – are checked during production. We avoid using colour alone to convey information.
For users who prefer reduced motion, Lagepunkt respects the prefers-reduced-motion operating system setting. When enabled, we disable non-essential animations, such as parallax scrolling and auto-playing carousels. Essential motion – like loading indicators – remains, but we keep it minimal. You can also adjust motion preferences in your browser or device settings.
What you can expect from us
We treat accessibility as an ongoing commitment, not a one-time project. Our editorial and technical teams receive training on inclusive design, and we review new content – including multimedia and embedded elements – for common accessibility issues such as missing alt text, insufficient captions, or poor heading structure.
All articles published on Lagepunkt are checked for semantic HTML: proper heading hierarchy (h1–h6), labelled form fields, descriptive link text, and meaningful alternative text for images. We also offer transcripts for audio content and captions for video where possible. Our editorial policy requires writers and editors to follow accessibility best practices during drafting and review.
Third-party content (e.g. embedded social media posts, interactive maps, or advertising from partners) may not always meet our accessibility standards. Where we have control, we prioritise accessible providers; where we do not, we label the content and welcome your feedback so we can advocate for improvements.
What are the known limitations?
Some older articles published before our accessibility review process was fully implemented may contain issues – such as missing alt text, non-semantic headings, or insufficient colour contrast. We are systematically auditing and updating these older pages. Third-party widgets and advertisements may also present barriers; while we cannot directly control those, we encourage users to report problems so we can address them with our partners.
PDFs and other downloadable documents are generally not yet fully accessible. Where possible, we provide an HTML alternative or a summary. Our team is working on a plan to remediate high‑priority documents. We also recognise that some interactive features (e.g. interactive maps or live data dashboards) may be challenging for screen reader users; we aim to offer a text‑based description of the data where feasible.
Questions or concerns?
We want to hear from you. If you have trouble accessing any part of Lagepunkt, need content in an alternative format, or have suggestions for improvement, please email our accessibility contact at accessibility@lagepunkt.de. Your message will be reviewed by our editorial and technical teams, and we will respond within five business days.
If you are not satisfied with the response, you can follow our formal complaints procedure. You may also contact our Chefredaktör, Thomas Kuhn, via the contact page if the issue relates to editorial standards. For any other privacy or data‑related concerns, please see our privacy policy. We take all accessibility feedback seriously and will work to resolve barriers promptly.