• Success Criterion 1.4.12
  • Conformance level AA

Web Component Style That Blocks User Text-Spacing Overrides

1.4.12 — Text Spacing

Scenario

Setting

A podcast app's episode list

What’s wrong

Web-component shadow DOM (hidden internal code) styles that user stylesheets can't reach while content clips.

Example 

* { line-height: 1 !important; letter-spacing: 0 !important; }

Why it matters

People with dyslexia or low vision who apply extra text spacing to read.

How to test

Apply a user stylesheet with the text-spacing override to a web component: if its shadow DOM styles block the override from reaching the internal text, it fails.

How to fix

With user text-spacing overrides applied (line height 1.5, paragraph 2x, letter 0.12em, word 0.16em), all content and controls must remain visible and usable. /* No !important overrides — let user style sheets adjust spacing */ !important locks out user stylesheets that increase line/letter/word spacing for readability.

Outcome

On a podcast app's episode list, this barrier is gone for people with dyslexia or low vision who apply extra text spacing to read — they reach the same outcome without extra effort.

Who is affected

People with dyslexia or low vision who apply extra text spacing to read.

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