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Re: 1.4.1 use of color for state indicator

for

From: glen walker
Date: Mar 9, 2020 5:01AM

Ok, maybe I need to ask for an opinion, then.

If you had to audit a site and the selected button had a black or blue
background (unselected has a white background), would you pass 1.4.1? Or
perhaps report it as a low priority failure and recommend they add another
visual clue for the selected button but note that as it currently stands,
most (if not all) users that can see the buttons will be able to tell which
one is selected?

If so, then when would this issue move from a low to a medium or high
priority issue? I have a real example where the default button has a white
background (and black text) but the selected button in the group has a
light orange background. The contrast ratio of of the white to orange is
1.8:1, but as mentioned originally, there isn't a requirement for contrast
between states.

The buttons all have borders so the adjacent color contrast is ok (1.4.11).

Technically, the light orange background is "color only" just like the
black background, but it sounds like the black background we would pass.

So what would you use to determine when a 1.4.1 pass becomes a failure?
Contrast?