> in 2005, prior to WCAG 2, major websites such as CNN, Yahoo, About, and Wired used black text. Not long after WCAG 2 was adopted, those same sites were reducing contrast, moving to ever lighter grey texts.
Correlation is not causation.
Possible alternative version of this history: WCAG came out with its recommendations when it did precisely because trends in design at the time were towards using different font weights and colors, as cleartype rendering was becoming universal and displays were moving away from CRT to LCD and becoming higher resolution. (LCD monitor sales only surpassed CRT monitors in 2003. The concept of a 'retina display' dates to 2010.)
In the absence of WCAG contrast guidance, the wild west would have won. Instead, by putting a line in the sand for contrast, WCAG helped ensure that design trend was held in check.
Correlation is not causation.
Possible alternative version of this history: WCAG came out with its recommendations when it did precisely because trends in design at the time were towards using different font weights and colors, as cleartype rendering was becoming universal and displays were moving away from CRT to LCD and becoming higher resolution. (LCD monitor sales only surpassed CRT monitors in 2003. The concept of a 'retina display' dates to 2010.)
In the absence of WCAG contrast guidance, the wild west would have won. Instead, by putting a line in the sand for contrast, WCAG helped ensure that design trend was held in check.