Safe Browsers for Strobe-Sensitive Users?

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Level 1

43 points

Safe Browsers for Strobe-Sensitive Users?

I have a strobe sensitivity. I haven't had clear-cut seizures, but I get migraines, visual trouble, balance/direction trouble, and other symptoms.

I currently use Firefox 52 esr, with dozens of accessibility tools. Firefox 57 and above break these accessibility tools, and while they may eventually replace them, they don't provide suitable migration tools. A couple Firefox spin-offs such as Waterfox are supposed to continue to support these tools. But Firefox is frustrating because, even with dozens of animation blockers, there are still too many migraine-triggers that get through.

I don't use Safari, partly because it doesn't let my disable the blinking cursor, which eventually triggers my migraines, and because I haven't found adequate flash-blocking and animation-blocking tools.

I have also tried Opera, Vivaldi, and Sleipnir, which would punch me with zooming animation, which *immediately* triggers my migraines. I haven't been able to get through the animated download page for Chrome, but I expect similar accessibility problems in that browser.

I had trouble reading Lynx, which runs in the terminal.

I don't know how to install Links, but it looks like it may be a viable option.

Can anyone suggest any other wb browsers which may be safe for strobe-sensitive users?

MacBook Air (11-inch Mid 2013), macOS Sierra (10.12.6)

Posted on Dec 16, 2017 11:21 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

K Shaffer

Level 7

34,972 points

Dec 16, 2017 1:25 PM in response to Marja E

Not sure how far you've gone into background research of information, from

general to detailed; nor the levels of complexity you may have uncovered.

Designing Safer Web Animation For Motion Sensitivity · alistapart:

Designing Safer Web Animation For Motion Sensitivity. ... on those with epilepsy

and migraine ... of highly animated content without any additional ...

https://alistapart.com/article/designing-safer-web-animation-for-motion-sensitiv ity

Some of the issues and problems going forward with browser technologies are

covered across a discussion such as this github topic:

[css-images] Disabling image animation · Issue #1615 · w3c ...

It's perfectly acceptable for a browser to give this sort of control ... but I get nasty

migraines and other ... and some other animation. Some people get seizures.

https://github.com/w3c/csswg-drafts/issues/1615

The fact several kinds of controls, extensions, or add-ons had been disabled in

later or most recent Mozilla Firefox (Quantum v 57+) without any replacement.

{To be able to control the unwanted effects to a previously available that had some

toleration for some users, is not available after the forced-upgrade, past FFx 56.}

Diversity of Web Users - How People with Disabilities Use the ...

Stories of Web Users » Diversity of Web Users; ... includes different types of epilepsy

and migraines, ... cannot be adapted using web browser controls or custom ...

https://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/diversity

While there are some answers, the bulk of recently available software for devices

and desktops appear to run counter to the need for some users to control access.

..Sorry to not have an answer; you may need to consider contacting developers

and/or become active where possible, in such circles as those interests get focus.

Systems such as macOS and iOS have developer groups whose products need to

conform to certain basics at least to be considered; those standards are available

but may not address your concerns. A system-wide aspect added to Accessibility

within Apple products may be some key to address this matter. (Apple Feedback.)

In any event...

Good luck & happy trails! 🙂

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Answer 2

Marja E Author

Level 1

43 points

Dec 16, 2017 1:37 PM in response to K Shaffer

Thank you.

In terms of hardware and drivers, Macbooks can be pretty good, but in terms of software, Apple can be pretty bad at accessibility. For example, they don't allow users to disable blinking cursors, except in NSText apps, and there only though hidden settings.I have been sending feedback about that since El Capitan. One of the reasons I use Firefox and Thunderbird instead of Safari and Mail is that Firefox and Thunderbird allow me to disable blinking cursors.

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Answer 3

Marja E Author

Level 1

43 points

Dec 16, 2017 1:47 PM in response to Marja E

To be honest, I'd prefer to stick with Firefox.

But I'd need a powerful tool to (a) block all pop-ups (b) block auto-reload (c) block all unwanted animation, including on-scroll and on-mouseover types, including all zooming (d) scroll the entire page together so the sheer between scrolling and non-scrolling elements is as far from the middle of the window as possible.

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