Web Accessibility, the Second Web Revolution!
What Does Web Accessibility Mean to the Disabled?
Most of us are familiar with how Accessibility applies to physical business places. However, little thought has been given to how Accessibility applies to the Internet. Accessibility on the World Wide Web demands that we break down barriers and open a clear path for everyone.
This means that web pages must be designed so that those with Visual, Hearing, Motor and Cognitive disabilities have an equal opportunity to navigate and access every web page.
The Web Accessibility Revolution
We’ve had one big revolution in web design, which was about the adoption of mobile technology. The Web Accessibility Revolution is the second revolution in web design. You may not have realized it, but we’re already in it and many are unaware of what it means.
The difference between the two has to do with the forces creating the pressure for the changes, how encompassing those forces are, and the cost of ignoring those forces
Mobile Technology Launched the 1st Web Revolution
The world changed with the introduction of new mobile technology which made connecting to the internet using your mobile device possible. Today 50% of web search queries come from mobile devices and hardly any websites are not mobile friendly.
However, even today many sites are still not Accessible for disabled individuals. The need for web designers to adapt to mobile technology came quickly through consumer demand, however, it did not happen immediately.
Consumer Demand Drove the 1st Web Revolution
New Technology Drove the First Web Revolution
The demand from consumers adopting new technology to access the web, and from businesses wanting to reach those users drove the mobile revolution. The cost varied by the category and company for reaching the new mobile users.
Consumers gradually embraced mobile technology and began transacting using their phones and this delayed this cost further. Demand quickly grew and was strong enough to force the change needed to support the technology.
Adopting Mobile Technology was optional, Web Accessibility isn’t.
The Web is a Place of Public Accommodation
People with disabilities have a civil right to access websites, however, we have to look beyond that for now. The Department Of Justice and other government authorities worldwide are decided that websites are “places of public accommodation”.
As places of public accommodation websites fall within the protection of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other government Accessibility regulations.
Accessibility Regulations Launch the 2nd Web Revolution
Remember how physical barrier ADA cases were prominent during the 90’s. Attorneys flooded public accommodations with ‘testers” searching offices, restaurants, hotels and any other place of public accommodation to determine if they violated the appropriate ADA standards.
Almost every business received this scrutiny searching for possible ADA violations. The forces of change are different from the Web Accessibility Revolution. These changes are being mandated by new regulations and are being implemented much more quickly. The new European Union GDPR regulations have tighter restrictions than ever before.
Accessibility Regulations Drive the 2nd Web Revolution
Lawyers Sue, Nobody Wins
The new Web Accessibility model is the same for lawyers, but this time they are investigating the digital Web Accessibility/ADA standard. It costs them almost nothing and can be done in minutes. A quick automated scan of any website can generate a report with dozens or more ADA/Web Accessibility violations.
They just paste the digital report into a demand letter template, or even a Federal complaint and out it goes landing in a business mailbox. Within days an often clueless website owner gets a rude awakening.
Lawyers Profit From Web Accessibility Uncertainty
Most Will Settle
A few will fight back, however most business website owners will settle their case to avoid a court room battle.. You can’t win these Web Accessibility cases so the plaintiff firms are simply printing money.
It’s a simple model, with no barrier to entry and extremely easy to mass produce.
There’s Money For Lawyers In Web Accessibility Litigation
Bar Associations lobbied hard against the Department of Justice plans to provide clear Web Accessibility rules and regulations and succeeded. The DOJ has delayed since 2010 and has now removed any pretext of acting on the implementation of Web Accessibility regulations.
We need written Web Accessibility rules and Congress could fix this. There is little to be gained politically by angering the powerful legal community anxious to make the easy money through threats of litigation over Accessibility against website owners.
Its all left to the lawyers and judges and a new cottage industry is going to quickly grow from the lack of Web Accessibility laws and regulations.
Web Accessibility Claims Enrich Attorneys
While the Mobile Revolution was market driven and grew from the adoption of new mobile technology, the Web Accessibility Revolution is being driven by threats of legal action. Lawyers are aggressive and there is a lot of money up for grabs.
Embrace Universal Design for Web Accessibility
Universal Design Embraces Web Accessibility
While some website owners will embrace Web Accessibility and Universal Design for their next website because it’s the law, it’s also an opportunity to reach more customers. Most website owners will be forced to adapt their sites to be Web Accessible quickly and at a high cost.
For these reasons, the Accessibility Revolution will dwarf the Mobile Revolution. Web Accessibility through Universal Design will make websites better, providing a better User Experience Design and better Search Engine Optimization.
The real payoff will be for all the people who will be able to enjoy equal access to the Internet. We will all benefit from their ability to access information easily with fewer barriers.