Interruptions
Summary:
WCAG 2.2.4, "Interruptions," focuses on giving users the ability to control and manage interruptions from web content, ensuring an accessible experience for those who need more time or focus to interact with digital content. This is especially beneficial for users with cognitive disabilities, attention deficits, or those using assistive technologies.
What:
This guideline requires that users have options to postpone or suppress interruptions, such as pop-ups, updates, or alerts, except in cases of emergency. It aims to prevent disruptions that could disorient or confuse users during their interaction with web content.
Why:
Uncontrolled interruptions can be disorienting and problematic, particularly for users who need a consistent and predictable environment to navigate and understand digital content. Giving users control over these interruptions respects their need for a stable and manageable digital experience.
Examples and Scenarios:
- Pop-up Notifications: Users should be able to delay or dismiss pop-up notifications on a website, allowing them to focus on their current task.
- Automatic Updates: In applications that auto-update content, provide an option to pause or control the frequency of these updates.
- Alerts During Tasks: For tasks that require concentration, like form filling or reading, ensure that alerts or prompts can be postponed or managed.
How to Comply:
- Websites: Implement features that allow users to control, postpone, or disable interruptions. This can include options to snooze notifications or adjust settings for how and when content updates.
- Mobile Apps: Design app interfaces with minimal disruptive alerts and provide user settings to manage notifications and updates.
- Software Applications: Ensure that the application allows users to customize their notification preferences and control interruption timings.
Exceptions:
- Emergency Alerts: Interruptions that are necessary for the user's health, safety, or legal obligations, such as emergency warnings or legal notices, may not need to be suppressible or postponable.