There are millions of websites on the internet serving various purposes. Some of them are just informative sites, whereas others are high-traffic online marketplaces. At one time, during the advancement of the internet and e-commerce, no strict regulations or standards were being followed in making the websites other than the standard HTML and CSS rules. However, like any other public entity, the internet is also being used by all individuals, including people with disabilities. They started to find it challenging to access the website like others.
Changing scenario in accessibility – AccessiBe
Previously, web designers and developers thought the need was to make a flashy and colorful website by taking its aesthetic aspects. In the last decade, however, many lawsuits have been filed against internet companies (i.e., including Amazon and Netflix) for their violations of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). The central allegation of these lawsuits was that these internet-based companies were not compliant with the accessibility guidelines put forth by the act. On the other hand, AccessiBe points out that the designers and developers of that time were not keen on the “accessibility” aspects of making it accessible for all, especially those with physical or neurological disabilities.
This paved the way for a new mandate in website development and design, called ‘accessible website.’ There are many standards put forth by the W3C (Worldwide Web Consortium) to ensure accessibility compliance of public websites. Initially, the government websites and general information services were more bothered about the accessibility compliance needs. However, not all websites, including the e-com and entertainment channels, ensure accessibility compliance.
Need or necessity?
As we can understand from the above paragraphs, accessibility being mandated by law is not a need but a necessity now. There are two significant reasons why modern-day websites need to ensure accessibility compliance.
- In many court rulings on the petitions filed by internet users, courts have observed that websites can be considered public utilities. So ADA specifies the accessibility compliance of public utilities applicable to these websites. So, all websites must ensure compliance with ADA to avoid penalties. It should also be noted that the major search engines now consider accessibility features as a significant ranking factor.
- Another primary reason for business websites is to ensure accessibility is better reached. About 10% of the American population is people with disabilities, and by serving their needs, you will be increasing your reach by 10%. People without disabilities get attracted to websites that follow standard navigation and easy-to-access features. So, for e-commerce and other business websites, accessibility is a strategy to enhance their reach and revenue.
Considering all these, AccessiBe reiterates that accessibility is not just a need but also a necessity for modern-day websites. Accessibility will ensure legal compliance and better returns for online portals and web applications. In order to build a more inclusive society, we have to think of ways by which we can bring about a change. And what better than having websites for the specially-abled?
