2.4.7 Focus Visible

There is already an advisory on 2.4.7 about mouse events, specifically
hover, regarding visibility and accessibility, to extend this advisory to
mouse click would be a natural and minimal approach. Therefore, I don't
think that the argument about failing this standard holds fast.

Your argument fails to address the actual point - that web accessibility is
made worse for accessible users due to the current standard because it
forces them to use the keyboard for navigation.

Your argument is instead as follows - because it is a late stage and
someone failed to address the actual use case of a accessible users, it's
now tough bananas. This is akin to someone decided steps are better for
wheelchair access to buildings, then on pointing out that ramps/lifts are
needed saying - tough bananas it's all been decided folks. I don't think
any reasonable person should ever accept that argument, so I would be very
disappointed if WCAG failed to even consider doing something here.

Whilst I agree that it is a late stage, I am sure you will agree, the
purpose of WCAG is not to make websites less accessible to disabled users.
Hence the suggestion that this is made an advisory.

If you look at any of the discussions and responses to the aforementioned
website promoting removing all trace of visible focus on click you will see
numerous responses cautioning that focus on click is an important feature
for accessibility.

https://css-tricks.com/the-focus-visible-trick/

"Just to note: don’t think that mouse clicks don’t deserve an obvious focus
style as well. I often open links in new tabs, and after closing the tab,
the focus indicator is very helpful to see where I left of in a list of
links for example."

As the above alludes, one could argue that failing to apply focus on mouse
click would somewhat cause problems interpreting 2.4.3 Focus Order. If an
accessible user is using both the mouse and keyboard, disabled users who
find reading difficult will become disorientated as the focus appears to
vanish, then appear unexpectedly when they first tab, then click, then tab.
On the intervening click, they have no idea where focus has gone. Again, a
technical pass, but terrible UX for accessible users.


M

On Monday, July 10, 2023, Michael Livesey <mike.j.livesey@gmail.com> wrote:
> Regarding rule 2.4.7, Focus Visible, I have concerns about a side effect
of interpretation that I am increasingly seeing in the development
community.
>
> 2.4.7 specifically only mentions a requirement for a visible focus on
keyboard use. This is increasingly being used/abused in the development
community to remove/suppress all focus indicators on mouse click.
>
> There are dozens of articles, Google search, proposing the use of the
following CSS to inhibit mouse click focus but retain keyboard focus to
meet rule 2.4.7, because developers have traditionally disliked focus
indicatirs for aest