We want everyone to be able to read The Civilian, whether they want to or not, and whatever device, browser or assistive technology they use. This page sets out what we aim for, what the site does, what we know still falls short, and how to tell us about a problem.
What we aim for
We aim to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at level AA.
What the site does
- Every page can be used with a keyboard alone. The first stop on each page is a link to skip straight to the content, and whatever has keyboard focus is clearly marked.
- Text can be enlarged to twice its size, and pages fit a phone screen, without anything being cut off or needing sideways scrolling.
- Text and controls have enough colour contrast to read, and colour is never the only way something is shown.
- Pages use proper headings and landmarks, so screen readers can move around them.
- Photos carry a text description.
- Links say where they go. Share links say which service they open and that they open in a new tab.
- Nothing plays sound or video by itself, nothing flashes, and if your device is set to reduce motion, the site does too.
- There are no pop-ups and no cookie banners to get past.
How we check
We test every kind of page on the site, at desktop and phone sizes, with automated accessibility checks against WCAG 2.2 A and AA. We also go through pages with a keyboard alone. We repeat these checks whenever we make significant changes to how pages look or work.
Automated checks find many problems but not all of them. We have not yet tested the site with people who use screen readers or other assistive technology. If you do, we would particularly like to hear how it works for you.
What we know falls short
- The Void is a moving, decorative page. It holds nothing you cannot find elsewhere on the site, never flashes, and can be paused at any time; if your device is set to reduce motion, it shows a still picture instead.
- The share links take you to other services, such as Facebook and X. We do not control how accessible those services are.
Tell us about a problem
If something on the site is hard to use, or you need a story in a different format, email nz.thecivilian@gmail.com. Tell us which page and what went wrong, and what you were using if you can (for example, a screen reader or your phone’s text size). We read every message and will reply.
Last reviewed 23 October 2026.