Scripts and Forms
No Client-Side Automatic Redirects
WAI Definition (Checkpoint 7.5)
Until user agents provide the ability to stop auto-redirect, do not use markup to redirect pages automatically.
Explanation
Do not automatically redirect pages with client-side technologies (technologies that should be executed by the browser). Such redirecting techniques include using the element or JavaScript.
Rationale
Automatically redirecting to a new page may be confusing for users who are not very familiar with using the Internet. Many people can feel lost because it takes the control over the navigation away from users. It is particularly disorienting for screen-reader users.
Furthermore, if the client-side technique for the redirect is not supported, the user may not be able to access the new content.
Technique
- Configure the web server to redirect traffic to a new location instead of using <meta> header redirects (consult with your server administrator on the best practice for this approach).
- You can also create redirects that are executed on the server side, for instance in ASP or PHP.
- You can replace the redirected page with a static page containing a normal link to the new page.
Validation
Test
Check the page code.
Success Criteria
There is no <meta http-equiv="refresh"> or JavaScript automatic redirect.