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Re: Is color alone for links, with enough color contrast, sufficient - SC 1.4.1. A

for

From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Jan 26, 2022 12:52PM

On 26/01/2022 17:24, Sven Jenzer wrote:
> We recognized that certain test-tools changed their evaluation routine.
>
> Recommended technique is to have text in black color and links in blue
> color with underline. In addition to the different color, a visual clue
> (underline) is added.
>
> An often used technique is the sufficient technique G183
> https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Techniques/general/G183.html
>
> With this technique, a relative luminance
> <https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/> (lightness) difference of 3:1 or greater
> with the text around it can be used if additional visual confirmation is
> available when a user points or tabs to the link. Visual highlights may,
> for example, take the form of underline, a change in font style such as
> bold or italics, or an increase in font size.
>
> While using this technique is sufficient to meet this success criteria,
> it is not the preferred technique to differentiate link text. This is
> because links that use the relative luminance of color alone may not be
> obvious to people with black/white color blindness. If there are not a
> large number of links in the block of text, underlines are recommended
> for links.
>
> Example: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/working-examples/link-contrast/
>
> I assume this is still valid to pass this SC?
>
> Anyone knows of a change?

Not sure why it's not been updated yet in the published version
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/use-of-color, but if you
check the latest editor's draft version
https://w3c.github.io/wcag/understanding/use-of-color.html it now
clarifies that a 3:1 contrast ratio already counts as a a second visual
cue other than color - so nominally, the underline on hover/focus is not
needed to pass the SC.

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke

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