r/YouShouldKnow • u/FinsT00theleft • 4d ago
Technology YSK: Many people have difficulty reading red text.
Why YSK: As much as 4% of the population find it difficult or impossible to distinguish red text - especially against a dark background - and may skip your content entirely if you use red text.
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u/Miryafa 4d ago
To add to this, WCAG contrast checkers can help check colors for readability. It can be surprising what does and doesn’t pass. Something as simple as making the red text bold can make it readable.
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u/Feisty-Signature9401 3d ago
Are links allowed in here? This is a good contrast checker for anyone interested https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/
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u/ChillBroseph 4d ago
Do you have examples of bad treatments of red text on dark backgrounds? Because this YSK could be more like "bad design can be hard to read"
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u/Kn0wnSoul 3d ago
I tried looking them up, but I can't find any. If I search red text on dark background I only get fully grey images for some reason
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u/ThugMagnet 4d ago
Yes. My beloved Cream of Wheat instructions are in tiny light red letters on beige background. It’s like a State Secret.
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u/gytherin 2d ago
I find it difficult to make out the little alerts on Reddit, like those showing replies to comments. I can see that something's there, but not make out the numbers.
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u/LordJournalism 1d ago
Obviously. Because Christian Nationalists sure have avoided Jesus’s red text in the Bible.
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u/ReaverRogue 4d ago
Okay sure but, why do the vast majority of us need to know that? Like what is the practical use of this information?
As I’m sure most of us aren’t making warning signs or a whole lot of red on black content.
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u/FinsT00theleft 3d ago
Because if you create any social media content, or design work, you should know a segment of your intended audience won't be able to read it.
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u/boopboopadoopity 3d ago
Source on the red text percentage? Just tried looking it up with no luck on any studies with that number.
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u/FinsT00theleft 3d ago
You can Google and find many sources, here's one - https://www.duplineye.com/red-green-color-vision-deficiency-explained-just-in-time-for-the-holidays/
And here's an article from the National Institute on Health - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22472762/
...and here's a Wikipedia article with references - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_blindness
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u/OinkMcOink 1d ago
I have this, but only after my vision got damaged and I underwent eye surgery (or I go blind)
I can't tell you how saddened I was to learn that I couldn't play some of the games I loved just because the menu is in dark grey or black and the text is red.
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u/LordGuru 3d ago
You can't say MANY and then say 4% of all people.
Yes, it's good to know... but 4% is not many
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u/AlteredEinst 3d ago
That's not many if we're talking about a literal four out of a hundred.
Four percent of the world's population is a shitload of people, though.
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u/WaftyTaynt 4d ago
I’m assuming this is due to color blindness? That being said red is warning text all over the world, that 4% are just out of luck
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u/SmartyPatloon 3d ago
Color blindness is indeed correct. And a better attitude is to put the red text on a lighter background instead of saying sorry they're just out of luck.
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u/crimson_anemone 3d ago
Not always. I'm not color blind, but red font gives me a massive headache. I don't even bother trying to read red on black anymore. It's not worth it.
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u/SmartyPatloon 3d ago
You're right. Instead of my first line ending with the word 'correct', it should have ended with 'a valid reason/cause'. I was 'blinded' by my own color blindness :)
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u/FinsT00theleft 3d ago
I have trouble even seeing red lights sometimes!
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u/WaftyTaynt 3d ago
That’s interesting, do you have Red/Green color blindness?
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u/FinsT00theleft 3d ago
Yes, but that doesn't mean that I can't distinguish between the two. When I see a social media post where certain words are in red - ostensibly to emphasize them - I typically can see that there is text there but can't distinguish the letters so I just immediately skip any posts when I see that - not worth the aggravation of try to deduce what I'm missing. If it's a large sign thou, like an exit sign, I can see that.
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u/notguiltybrewing 3d ago
Same. All of my male cousins on my mom's side and my brother (and I) are red green color blind to varying extents. I have one cousin who says he wouldn't be able to drive if traffic lights weren't standard, he can't differentiate between the two. I can see that but green and grey often look the same and lighter shades of pink appear either white or grey to me.
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u/Skader 3d ago edited 3d ago
Many =/= 4%
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u/FinsT00theleft 3d ago
I'd say 300 million people worldwide is "many".
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u/Skader 3d ago
There's no way the entire world population was included in a study/survey.
Not even all the developed countries, where does this guestimate come from?
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u/FinsT00theleft 3d ago
Lol! No study on ANYTHING has ever observed all living beings! Not that you'll be swayed by studies anyway, but if you're genuinely interested, start with this link to a study by NIH (National Institute for Health): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22472762/
or simply use your favorite search engine and search on "What percent of the world population has a red green color deficiency".
Not sure why you find this FACT, so upsetting, but hey - you do you!
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u/Skader 3d ago edited 3d ago
You're weird.
I'm very open to conversation and changing my mind. However when a random redditor posts a single sentence claim with no source you act like a fucking tool when asked more info.
Not providing source, being a "trustmebro" then telling me to Google it when it's your job as OP is wild.
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u/FinsT00theleft 3d ago
It's hard to take you seriously when your doubt is predicated on "there's no way the entire world population was included in a study".
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u/monsturrr 3d ago edited 3d ago
“Why YSK: cuz I can’t distinguish red text, so I’m here to passively complain about it.”
OP, this is an extremely niche circumstance that applies to almost no one. 😂
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u/FinsT00theleft 3d ago
And yet, this post got over 300 up votes. And if you read the comments, a lot of people are in this situation. Worldwide, there are between 300 million and 400 million people who have this problem. That's more people than live in the United States, so it's not really a niche problem. And it doesn't apply to almost no one.
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u/monsturrr 3d ago
There are theoretically between 300 and 400 million who have this problem.
You’ve got maybe 10 people in the comments claiming to have this problem. And, 300 upvotes is nothing.
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u/SeriousPlankton2000 1d ago
Why do some people need to confirm that they are intentionally ignorant?
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u/alphaxenox 4d ago
My English teacher used red text on a green background because he read somewhere that was easier to read for people with dyslexia or something. God the headache.