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Re: WCAG SC 1.4.10 (Reflow) and intentionally hidden content

for

From: glen walker
Date: Sep 14, 2023 7:31AM


Yes, that's a tough call. Essentially "progressive enhancement" but in
reverse. If you start with mobile, or the smallest footprint first, and
have just the most essential information, then as you get bigger and bigger
screen sizes (tablet, laptop, desktop), you get more content (and
features?), that's considered "progressive enhancement". But what if you
go backwards, from a desktop to laptop to tablet to mobile? You can either
shrink your browser window or bump up your font to hit the breakpoints.
You'll gradually lose information, intentionally. Progressive diminishment?

Neither 1.4.4 nor 1.4.10 say anything about losing "essential"
information. They say "without loss of content" or "without loss of
information", respectively. Does that mean *any* information? Perhaps
that's a judgement call.

They both say without loss of functionality. If functional parts of the
breadcrumb are lost, perhaps that makes it fail? Or would 2.4.5 Multiple
Ways make up for that in this specific case? That is, as long as there is
another way to jump back to different parts of the breadcrumb, then it
doesn't fail 1.4.4 and 1.4.10.

However, I have concerns about ignoring the author's intentions in this
> way. For instance, it is not uncommon for the mobile layout of a website to
> lack features or content that are present in the desktop layout. If this
> has been done to simplify the user experience, should we really insist they
> put all those features and content back in? It could make the accessibility
> better in theory, but worse in practice.
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