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Thread: Which WCAG SC it will fail when is absolutely no difference between a link and surrounding text

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From: pratik roy
Date: Tue, Oct 05 2021 9:44AM
Subject: Which WCAG SC it will fail when is absolutely no difference between a link and surrounding text
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If there are a bunch of links with same color and font style as the
surrounding plain text then can we fail against 1.4.1. It looks clearly an
issue to me but here color is not really conveying any information.
Appreciate your thoughts on this.--
Thanks & Regards
PRATIK ROY

From: Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Date: Tue, Oct 05 2021 9:57AM
Subject: Re: Which WCAG SC it will fail when is absolutely no difference between a link and surrounding text
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When you have a link in a block of text you either need the color
contrast of 3:1 between the link and surrounding text or another
visual treatment that visually tells the link apart from the text
(i.e. the classic link underline, alternatively a reverse video or
icon).
I see the point if that no one can tell links from surrounding text
you could say it is not an accessibility issue (it's equally
inaccessible to all), but it is definitely a violation of WCAG 1.4.1.


On 10/5/21, pratik roy < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> If there are a bunch of links with same color and font style as the
> surrounding plain text then can we fail against 1.4.1. It looks clearly an
> issue to me but here color is not really conveying any information.
> Appreciate your thoughts on this.--
> Thanks & Regards
> PRATIK ROY
> > > > >


--
Work hard. Have fun. Make history.

From: glen walker
Date: Tue, Oct 05 2021 9:59AM
Subject: Re: Which WCAG SC it will fail when is absolutely no difference between a link and surrounding text
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Color is absolutely conveying information. It lets the color enabled user
to see what is plain text and what is "clickable" text.

Since you say the same font style is being used, I'm assuming the links are
not underlined. There's a loophole in 1.4.1 explained in G183 (
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Techniques/general/G183) for links that says
if the plain text color and the link color have a contrast of at least 3:1
*and* the link text has another visual clue when it receives keyboard focus
or mouse hover focus, then you're ok.


On Tue, Oct 5, 2021 at 9:44 AM pratik roy < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> If there are a bunch of links with same color and font style as the
> surrounding plain text then can we fail against 1.4.1. It looks clearly an
> issue to me but here color is not really conveying any information.
> Appreciate your thoughts on this.--
> Thanks & Regards
> PRATIK ROY
> > > > >

From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Tue, Oct 05 2021 2:42PM
Subject: Re: Which WCAG SC it will fail when is absolutely no difference between a link and surrounding text
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On 05/10/2021 16:44, pratik roy wrote:
> If there are a bunch of links with same color and font style as the
> surrounding plain text then can we fail against 1.4.1. It looks clearly an
> issue to me but here color is not really conveying any information.

If the link and text look exactly the same to all sighted users, and in
particular if they have the exact same color, then 1.4.1 does NOT apply
since color is NOT used to convey any particular meaning, information,
or to identify the links. This situation currently fails no success
criterion. It's crap design for all sighted users, not just those with
impaired color vision. (in fact, it actually makes it easier for
keyboard users as they'll be able to find the links without having to
speculatively move a mouse pointer around, or wildly tap on a
touchscreen, in the hope of finding what is and isn't a link)

P
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Patrick H. Lauke

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From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Tue, Oct 05 2021 2:44PM
Subject: Re: Which WCAG SC it will fail when is absolutely no difference between a link and surrounding text
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See also https://github.com/w3c/wcag/issues/1467

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Patrick H. Lauke

https://www.splintered.co.uk/ | https://github.com/patrickhlauke
https://flickr.com/photos/redux/ | https://www.deviantart.com/redux
twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke