Herein lies the fundamental problem: you're not too sure...except in a certain unwaivering resolve to trivialize the significance of impact to an existing product/workflow. Gratuitous handwaving is no longer the name of the game.
I think the people who you perceive as "overestimating/overcomplicating" have first-hand understanding of what it truly takes to execute formal process and verification which unambiguously demonstrates compliance, given:
1.) the courts are now involved...this in itself introduces an unprecedented level of complication;
2.) product and workflow are already established;
3.) legal mandate requires compliance with qualitative guidelines[1], as opposed to hard specification;
4.) scope of applicability and impact to existing product/workflow have yet to be determined...requirements traceability based on interpretted guidelines will almost certainly be a cluster fuck;
5.) a level of uncertainty from guideline disclaimers, e.g., even content that conforms at the highest level (AAA) will not be accessible to individuals with all types, degrees, or combinations of disability.
6.) use of non-standard, 3rd-party tools (e.g. screen readers) clearly had an impact on legal decision, which suggests additional impact to compliance verification;
I think the people who you perceive as "overestimating/overcomplicating" have first-hand understanding of what it truly takes to execute formal process and verification which unambiguously demonstrates compliance, given:
1.) the courts are now involved...this in itself introduces an unprecedented level of complication;
2.) product and workflow are already established;
3.) legal mandate requires compliance with qualitative guidelines[1], as opposed to hard specification;
4.) scope of applicability and impact to existing product/workflow have yet to be determined...requirements traceability based on interpretted guidelines will almost certainly be a cluster fuck;
5.) a level of uncertainty from guideline disclaimers, e.g., even content that conforms at the highest level (AAA) will not be accessible to individuals with all types, degrees, or combinations of disability.
6.) use of non-standard, 3rd-party tools (e.g. screen readers) clearly had an impact on legal decision, which suggests additional impact to compliance verification;
[1] https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/