Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data)
Summary:
WCAG 3.3.4, "Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data)," is designed to minimize the risk of errors in web transactions that have legal or financial consequences, or in data transfer or modification. This guideline is crucial for users prone to making mistakes, such as those with cognitive disabilities, and enhances confidence in the use of online services for all users.
What:
This criterion requires either:
- Providing a way to reverse, correct, or confirm an action for web pages that result in legal commitments or financial transactions.
- Implementing a mechanism for reviewing, confirming, and correcting information before final submission when dealing with user-controlled data.
Why:
Mistakes in legal or financial transactions can have significant repercussions. Providing mechanisms to prevent or correct errors helps protect users from unintended consequences and builds trust in online processes.
Examples and Scenarios:
- E-commerce Checkout: Offering a final review page before order confirmation.
- Online Banking: Implementing a confirmation step before finalizing a financial transaction.
- Form Submission: Allowing users to review and edit information before submitting a job application.
How to Comply:
- Websites: Integrate confirmation steps, review pages, or undo options for transactions and data submissions.
- Mobile Apps: Implement similar functionalities in apps for financial transactions or data modifications.
- Software Applications: Provide clear options to review, modify, and confirm actions, especially in applications handling sensitive data.
Exceptions:
- Real-time Transactions: Transactions or actions that occur in real-time, like stock trades, where delaying for confirmation isn't feasible.
- Legal Requirements: Situations where adding a review step would conflict with legal or regulatory requirements.