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Re: Titles for iframes

for

From: Jared Smith
Date: Feb 10, 2015 10:41AM

The purpose of the frame title is to convey the content or function of
the frame as would be available to sighted users. It is required in
WCAG under the alternative text for non-text elements success criteria
- the idea being that the iframe is a non-text element.

If the iframe has distinct content or a function, it should be
conveyed via title. Examples might be that the iframe is an
advertisement or the title of the movie for an embedded video player
or, as in Paul's case, that it's a LinkedIn widget.

However, sometimes iframes don't have a distinct visual purpose or
function. Sometimes the fact an iframe is used in the markup is
entirely transparent to sighted users. In these cases, adding a title
to the iframe should not be required. Certainly WCAG doesn't require
adding alternative text for something that is not a non-text element.
Doing so would provide unnecessary and extraneous information just for
screen reader users.

Unfortunately, as Paul has described, many screen readers read extra
stuff for iframes that do not have titles. This behavior is (I
believe) incorrect, but is the reality. As such, a very concise
descriptor of the iframe is likely the best alternative.

Jared