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Real talk: WCAG is open to interpretation

2 minutes read

Spoiler alert: It's not, you just like reading between the lines too much!

Someone who just skimmed a WebAIM article once drops the bombshell: "WCAG is open to interpretation!"

No, the WCAG is not a horoscope. You don't get to "interpret" whether a button needs a label or if contrast ratios are "just a suggestion." The guidelines are specific. If you think they're "open to interpretation," it's probably because you don't like the answer and are reading between the lines hoping to see a loophole that doesn't exist.

"But the success criteria are subjective!"

Oh, really? Is "keyboard navigable" a matter of opinion? No. The only thing "open to interpretation" is your ability to read documentation without inserting your own nonsense.

The real issue? A bunch of people who barely understand WCAG, but love the sound of their voice, want to water it down so they can slap an "accessible" badge on their half-baked, barely-navigable website.

Sorry, but no. Your "creative interpretation" doesn't override actual disability access.

The next time someone says WCAG is "open to interpretation," I'll ask them which part.

Because eight times out of ten, they're just making excuses for cutting corners. One will just be too stubborn to admit they're absolutely clueless. And maybe one will be a decent person that just didn't get it and needs help.

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