2.C: Auto Updating

2.C: Auto-Updating (WCAG 2.2.2)
Ensure users can pause, stop, hide, or control the frequency of automatically updating content.

• Trigger: Applies to any content that updates automatically (e.g., timers, tickers, counters) and is presented alongside other content.
• Accessibility Constraint: The control mechanism must be evident within either:
  • The first three elements encountered by the user, OR
  • Within three elements before or after the auto-updating content.
• Functionality: Activating the mechanism must successfully pause, stop, hide, or allow the user to modify the update frequency.
• Scope: Distinct from “2.B Blinking, Moving, and Scrolling” (which involves movement without content change); if content both moves and auto-updates, both tests apply.

Test Requirement

The purpose of this test is to validate that when content updates automatically and is not the only content on the page, a user is provided an accessible and easy-to-find mechanism to pause, stop, hide, or control the frequency of updating. The mechanism must be evident in the first three elements a user encounters at the top of the page or within three elements before or after the auto-updating content.

This is important because content that updates automatically can be a barrier to anyone who has trouble reading quickly, those who have trouble tracking moving objects, or those who may find such updates distracting. The results from this test are used to determine if WCAG SC 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide is met.

Method

• Manual inspection of the page.

Tool

• Any applicable ANDI modules depending on the type of mechanism used to control the auto updating content.

Identifying Content

Identify content that:

• Automatically updates (without user activation) AND
• Is NOT the only content on the page.
• Content of this type includes timers, stock tickers, and counters.

WCAG SC 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide DOES NOT APPLY (DNA) to auto-updating of information where the auto-updating is essential.

However, the auto-updating of a stock ticker that conveys real-time information would not be considered essential (per WCAG), unless it is the main content of the page. Therefore, it would be included in this test. It is likely that most instances of auto-updating content are not essential.

Although the WCAG requirement specifies “essential” content, you are not tasked with determining whether the auto-updating is essential. Therefore, you should test all content that meets the Identifying Content description.

A Section 508 exception may be applied for essential auto-updating content. However, this is outside the scope of the testing process. An exception for WCAG SC 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide should be considered carefully as Conformance Requirement 5: Non-interference requires its conformance.

• When displayed content moves, blinks, or scrolls but the content itself does not change, only Test 2.B Blinking, Moving, and Scrolling applies.
• When there is auto-updating content where the content itself changes (for example, in a carousel, stock tickers, updating sports scores), Test 2.C Auto-Updating applies.
• If the content moves, blinks, or scrolls AND auto-updates, both test conditions (2.B and 2.C) apply.

Does Not Apply

This Test Condition DOES NOT APPLY (DNA) if there is no auto-updating content or the auto-updating content is the only content on the page.

How to Test 2.C Auto-Updating

From the TT Process:

1. Determine if there is an evident mechanism for the user to pause, stop, or hide the content or to control the frequency of the update within the first three elements that the user would encounter OR within three elements before/after the auto-updating content.

Users must be able to quickly turn off automatically updating information. For testing purposes, this mechanism must be evident within the first three elements a user encounters on the page or within three elements before or after the auto-updating content. This ensures that a user can quickly find a method to control the updating.

As in 2.A, mechanisms could include elements such as:

• Text instructions
• A keyboard shortcut
• A link, button, or other user control
• A dialog box.

From the TT Process:

2. Activate the mechanism.

Ensure that the mechanism functions as intended.

From the TT Process:

3. Following this test process, test the mechanism for all applicable Test Conditions.

If you find a mechanism, you may choose to revisit this test step after performing other tests. The more you test, the more you learn what order of testing works best for you.

Evaluating Content

From the TT Process:

If ALL the following are TRUE, then the content PASSES:

1. There is an evident mechanism that can pause, stop, or hide the content or control the frequency of the update, AND
2. The mechanism is either within:
   • the first three elements encountered by the user, OR
   • three elements before/after the automatically updating content, AND
3. The mechanism passes all applicable Test Conditions in this test process.