Identify purpose

Silktide prompts you to verify that the purpose of regions, icons, and controls on the page can be determined programmatically - so user agents can adapt the page for the visitor. This is success criterion 1.3.6 (level AAA).

This is a : there is no finished W3C vocabulary for marking up every purpose, and no automated tool can judge whether the semantics that are present actually match what each region or control is for. Silktide raises the prompt on each page and a person confirms it.

Why this matters

People with cognitive disabilities, low literacy, or limited attention often customize the web: they hide regions they do not need, swap icons for a set they recognize, or simplify controls. That only works when the page exposes what each piece is for - not just what it looks like.

Without programmatic purpose, assistive technology cannot tell a "home" link from a "search" button from a decorative icon, and personalization tools have nothing to work with.

What to check

Regions - major areas of the page use landmarks (<header>, <nav>, <main>, <aside>, <footer>, or matching ARIA roles), and where there are several of the same type they are distinguished with an accessible name.
Controls - interactive elements use the right native HTML or ARIA role so their purpose is clear (a button is a button, a link is a link).
Icons - functional icons have an accessible name that states their purpose; decorative icons are hidden from assistive technology.
Form fields collecting user data - where relevant, also satisfy Identify input purpose (1.3.5) with autocomplete.

The W3C has not finished a recommended personalization vocabulary beyond landmarks and roles, so landmarks + correct roles + named icons is the practical bar for most sites today.

How to fix it

Mark page regions with HTML5 sectioning elements or ARIA landmarks.
Prefer native controls (<button>, <a>, form inputs) over clickable <div>s.
Give every functional icon an accessible name; mark decorative ones aria-hidden="true".
Add autocomplete tokens on user-data fields (see 1.3.5).

If the page's regions, icons, and controls expose their purpose clearly (or the page has none that need it), the finding.

How Silktide tests this

Silktide cannot decide whether existing semantics accurately convey purpose, so this check raises one review prompt per page. Silktide's and landmark-related checks under 1.3.1 and 4.1.2 catch broken markup automatically; this review covers the judgment call that remains. No mainstream tool automates 1.3.6 - there is no W3C ACT rule for it.