Understanding Three Flashes or Below Threshold

Intent of Three Flashes or Below Threshold

The intent of this Success Criterion is to allow users to access the full content of a site without inducing seizures due to photosensitivity.

Individuals who have photosensitive seizure disorders can have a seizure triggered by content that flashes at certain frequencies for more than a few flashes. People are even more sensitive to red flashing than to other colors, so a special test is provided for saturated red flashing. These guidelines are based on guidelines for the broadcasting industry as adapted for computer screens, where content is viewed from a closer distance (using a larger angle of vision).

Flashing can be caused by the display, the computer rendering the image or by the content being rendered. The author has no control of the first two. They can be addressed by the design and speed of the display and computer. The intent of this criterion is to ensure that flicker that violates the flash thresholds is not caused by the content itself. For example, the content could contain a video clip or animated image of a series of strobe flashes, or close-ups of rapid-fire explosions.

This Success Criterion replaces a much more restrictive criterion in WCAG 1.0 that did not allow any flashing (even of a single pixel) within a broad frequency range (3 to 50 Hz). This Success Criterion is based on existing specifications in use in the UK and by others for television broadcast and has been adapted for computer display viewing. The 1024 x 768 screen is used as the reference screen resolution for the evaluation. The 341 x 256 pixel block represents a 10 degree viewport at a typical viewing distance. (The 10 degree field is taken from the original specifications and represents the central vision portion of the eye, where people are most susceptible to photo stimuli.)

The combined area of flashes occurring concurrently and contiguously means the total area that is actually flashing at the same time. It is calculated by adding up the contiguous area that is flashing simultaneously within any 10 degree angle of view.

The terms "blinking" and "flashing" can sometimes refer to the same content.

Benefits of Three Flashes or Below Threshold

Examples of Three Flashes or Below Threshold

Resources for Three Flashes or Below Threshold

Techniques for Three Flashes or Below Threshold

Sufficient Techniques for Three Flashes or Below Threshold

  1. Ensuring that no component of the content flashes more than three times in any one second period
  2. Keeping the flashing area small enough
  3. Using a tool to ensure that content does not violate the general flash threshold or red flash threshold

Additional Techniques (Advisory) for Three Flashes or Below Threshold

Failures for Three Flashes or Below Threshold