Invalid HTML versus not(?) failing 4.1.1: Parsing

Hi,


I am again a little exasperated by the no-doubt necessary wording of 4.1.1

https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/parsing

and F70

https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Techniques/failures/F70

etc, when they seem to swerve around the issue of (many types of) invalid HTML.


I know 4.1.1 is complex topic, but I have a CMS adding an ALT attribute to a DIV (yes, a (redundant) DIV) that is wrapping an IMG. The IMG also (validly) has an ALT attribute. Per the spec the DIV's ALT is invalid:

https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/grouping-content.html#the-div-element

specifically 'Global attributes'

https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/dom.html#global-attributes


In short, I assume it is not a fail if someone adds an ALT attribute to a DIV, even though it is blatantly invalid HTML, because it does not (I sadly think) satisfy the wording of 4.1.1 or F70.


Am I right to simply comment on this to my client and pass it, or do people fail code when it is demonstrably invalid such as this example?


Thanks in advance for any comments.


Cheers,


-Alan Bristow
Web Programmer
Elections Canada
alan.bristow@elections.ca