CSS font shadows are often used to help make text stand out (or in, or colorful, or many other fancy things.) I'm wondering if it can be used to aid readability.
I know finding the right amount of contrast can help greatly on digital screen readability. Font shadows are always surround the text, so it could be used to control contrast, both brightness and color. reference: Is there a problem with using black text on white backgrounds?
Answer
In some situations a drop shadow or stroke can be used to maximise accessibility and maintain the contrast ratio between text and the background. I have used this method once or twice when dealing with strict brand guidelines that demanded non-conforming colour combinations. It is mentioned as a technique for meeting the SC 1.4.3 (Contrast) criterion of WCAG:
...if a letter is lighter at the top than it is a the bottom, it may be difficult to maintain the contrast ratio between the letter and the background over the full letter. In this case, the designer might darken the background behind the letter, or add a thin black outline (at least one pixel wide) around the letter in order to keep the contrast ratio between the letter and the background above 4.5:1.
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