[Webkit-unassigned] [Bug 64473] New: Keyboard users should always be able to see where they are (visual focus indicator)

[bugzilla-daemon at webkit.org]

https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=64473

           Summary: Keyboard users should always be able to see where they
                    are (visual focus indicator)
           Product: WebKit
           Version: 528+ (Nightly build)
          Platform: Unspecified
        OS/Version: All
            Status: UNCONFIRMED
          Severity: Normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: Accessibility
        AssignedTo: webkit-unassigned at lists.webkit.org
        ReportedBy: aaronleventhal at moonset.net


** The problem **

Many websites are not accessible for keyboard users because the focus is hidden. As soon as the user begins to tab through they are already lost.

** Examples **

- http://blackberry.com
- http://www.apple.com/search/?q=iphone (search page)
- http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/default.aspx (Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 page)
- http://twitter.com (in the header)

** Background **

There are two main reasons that websites do this:
1. They use a standard reset.css which has :focus {outline: 0; } -- since many developers are primarily mouse users this can go unnoticed
2. The designer of the page does not like the focus outline to appear on buttons and links when a user simply clicks them (they don't mind the focus outline when the user tabs -- that's not the case they care about).

(Note: IE (at least older versions) do not allow the focus outline to be hidden and don't show the problem.)

** Proposed solution **

When the focus was not set from the mouse (keyboard or via script), do not allow the focus outline to be hidden.

Just because the author specifies something in CSS does not mean we have to adhere to it. There is a tradition of removing web usability problems such as popups, even when the author has coded the page to have them -- making the web not suck. We'll need to think slightly differently about :focus and how to make sure it's used as a good thing -- not making the web unusable for keyboard users. 

There is really no reason to hide the focus for someone trying to tab around.

Some section 508 fodder if that helps:
>From http://section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseAction=stdsdoc
(c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes.

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