Ensuring your website is accessible isn’t just about dodging legal pitfalls—it’s about embracing inclusivity, enhancing user experience, and tapping into a broader customer base. Let’s delve into the latest legal requirements, the surge in accessibility-related lawsuits, and the compelling business case for making your website accessible.
1 in 4 people could be leaving your website today because your website is not accommodating people with disabilities. The term accessibility covers a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities. As you can imagine the international requirements for accessibility (WCAG 2.1) are very complicated for individual users to follow and this means a lot of websites are not compliant and this is a legal requirement, whether you are trading in the USA solely or in other countries.
“1 in 4 people could be leaving your website today because your website is not accommodating people with disabilities.”
In March 2022, the Department of Justice published guidance today on web accessibility and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It explains how state and local governments (entities covered by ADA Title II) and businesses open to the public (entities covered by ADA Title III) can make sure their websites are accessible to people with disabilities in line with the ADA’s requirements. DOJ Article update Web Accessibility- Jun 2022
In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) updated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), mandating that state and local government websites and mobile applications adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards. ada.gov-2024-03-08-web-rule This also would include 3rd party vendors supporting local government.
While this rule specifically targets government entities, it signals a broader expectation for all websites to meet these accessibility standards. Non-compliance can lead to legal actions, financial penalties, and reputational harm. Dept. of Justice-final-rule-July 2024
The number of ADA-related website accessibility lawsuits has been on the rise: These figures show Federal lawsuits while most cases are also filed at state courts with only the larger cases being moved to Federal, local State cases are not easily trackable as federal cases. Many businesses act before the courts get involved, 90% of businesses take action from a demand letter from a local lawyer.
2023: Over 8,200 lawsuits filed, with the majority in New York, Florida, and California.
ADA Title III.com 2023 lawsuits
2024 Mid-Year Report: 4,914 lawsuits filed in the first half of the year, with California retaking the top state in filings this year. Based on this trend we could see 8,500 cases being filed in 2024.
Federal-lawsuit-numbers from Seyfarth Shaw
Don’t be fooled to think these numbers do not include demand Letters and out of court settlements, around 90% businesses act before a lawsuit is raised, thus many never get reported due to the fear from large legal fees, time and reputation loss to a business.
This upward trend underscores the increasing scrutiny on digital accessibility and the legal risks of non-compliance.
When considering doing nothing about accessibility we know it’s not only going to be long before someone asks you about why your site is not accommodating to people with disabilities. Being a small business owner, I know it’s sometimes easier to avoid what appears to be complicated, expensive and may only affect a small part of the population.
The bottom line doing nothing is going to hurt you more than you realize. Here are some points to consider about having an accessible website.
Connect with The Web Detective today or schedule a call through our website. Let’s work together to enhance your site’s accessibility, comply with legal standards, and reach a wider audience.
Many websites fail to meet accessibility standards, creating significant barriers for users with disabilities. Below are the top eight accessibility issues that often lead to legal action.
Most businesses avoid this question or even start to make their site accessible because…
In every industry, there are both ethical and unscrupulous representatives. Unfortunately, some lawyers actively target business owners with lawsuits over website accessibility issues. While addressing
Many small and medium-sized businesses mistakenly believe they are safe from ADA lawsuits. However, recent data reveals a startling truth: 77% of ADA lawsuits in 2023 targeted organizations with revenues under $25 million.
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Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
Statute/Bill: CCPA
Laws Signed (To Date): 2018; effective 1 Jan. 2020
Did you know that most websites get flagged as spam or untrustworthy just after they have been published? The reason is that it will have limited or no traffic, the owner cannot be verified, lack of Google searches and search results.
We do not accept calls if there is no caller id and to filter out robot calls, unsolicited calls, and spams you may find that you will need to leave a message on our voicemail, alternatively we would suggest using SMS, or one of the other options available on this page.
