• Success Criterion 1.4.3
  • Conformance level AA

Text Overlaid on Video With Contrast That Drops Too Low

1.4.3 — Contrast (Minimum)

Scenario

Setting

A community forum's discussion thread

What’s wrong

Text over video backgrounds with frames that drop contrast.

Example 

.video-caption { color: #e5e5e5; }
<!-- overlaid directly on autoplaying preview frames; over lighter scenes the ratio drops to roughly 1.9:1 -->

Why it matters

A forum member watching an embedded video clip loses the caption text entirely whenever the scene behind it turns bright.

How to test

Measure text overlaid on a video background at a representative frame: if it drops below ratio during any part of playback, it fails.

How to fix

Give captions a solid or high-opacity background band so contrast holds no matter what plays behind it.

.video-caption { color: #ffffff; background: rgba(0,0,0,0.75); padding: 2px 6px; }

Outcome

The forum member reads every caption line clearly, even through the video's brightest scenes.

Who is affected

Low-vision users and anyone in a bright room, where already-marginal contrast over video disappears further.

Learn more

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