RE: Do we want a Biometric Alternative SC in WCAG 2.1?



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Léonie Watson [mailto:tink@tink.uk]
> On 22/07/2016 00:21, David MacDonald wrote:
> > yup... we currently require any input including Bio-metric,to be
> > keyboard accessible, but perhaps there is room for more.
>
> Requiring a non-keyboard input device to be keyboard accessible seems
> counter-intuitive.

[Jason] Yes, and this isn't what WCAG 2.0 requires. All functionality of the Web content (be it a document or application) must be keyboard operable. This doesn't exclude biometrics, audio or video input, for example, as long as the application is keyboard-accessible as specified in 2.1.1.
However, suppose we set up an authentication scheme whereby the user has to supply a finger print. If this is part of the Web content rather than of the user agent, then I suspect it's inconsistent with 2.1.1; it's certainly an insurmountable accessibility barrier to anyone who can't make use of a fingerprint scanner (for any number of disability-related reasons), thus it arguably shouldn't conform to WCAG.
If we had an API that allowed the user agent to choose a means of biometric authentication appropriate to the user's needs and abilities, then I would maintain that the content should then conform to WCAG.
>
> Agree this is an important conversation. It's a broad ranging discussion though,
> and one I think might be better suited to whatever comes after 2.1.
>
[Jason] I also look forward to contributing to that discussion, which is undoubtedly necessary.


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Received on Friday, 22 July 2016 13:15:14 UTC