Ratio of 4.5 to 1 is inadequate

Name: Drew McCormick
Email: xxWCAG@troubador.org
Affiliation: web user
Document: TD
Item Number: G18
Part of Item: Applicability
Comment Type: technical
Summary of Issue: Ratio of 4.5 to 1 is inadequate
Comment (Including rationale for any proposed change):
The current recommended contrast ratio of 4.5 to 1, and even the 7 to 1 ratio in G17 is inadequate.
Even though I am 60 years old, I have OK vision. However I have very difficult time reading 12 point type set at 4.5 to 1. The 7 to 1 ratio is the bare minimum. 
I am not the only complainent, this is a known problem: https://www.wired.com/2016/10/how-the-web-became-unreadable/  and https://askleo.com/coping-with-gray-text/

Proposed Change:
Change the minimum contrast ratio from 4.5 to 1 instead to 7 to 1. Set the disabled one higher, perhaps to 11 to 1.

Also do testing with older users and disabled users to validate these ratios.

Received on Friday, 27 March 2020 20:39:56 UTC