June 2, 2010

Google Chrome For Mac Disregards Accessibility

In the past, Google has provided fairly good support for accessibility with screen readers, but that reputation has begun to slip in recent years, as the Internet giant has expanded its offerings and let its accessibility efforts slip.

This might be a compelling argument if the writer cited any examples other than a lack of VoiceOver support.

Accessibility isn’t a feature you can mark off on a checklist.  It’s not a technology; it’s not something you can “support.”  Of course Google Chrome is accessible—people are able to use it.  There may be things that Google can do to make it accessible to more people, but it’s bullshit to say that it doesn’t “support accessibility,” as if accessibility were some sort of standard.

I may be picking at semantics here.  My point is, cite examples that show how Google Chrome is more inaccessible than other browsers such as Safari—don’t just say that Chrome doesn’t “support accessibility” and expect me to believe it.