SAN DIEGO, Oct. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Monsido, a leader in web governance solutions that enhance user experience, regards the Supreme Court's rejection of an appeal from Domino's Pizza Inc. against the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a pivotal moment for web accessibility.
The Supreme Court ruled to uphold a U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision that the ADA does not just apply to physical brick and mortar spaces, but also to websites and mobile applications, thus allowing people with visual disabilities to sue Domino's and other retailers for digital inaccessibility.
Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disabilities in places of public accommodation. From 2017 to 2018, Title III lawsuits tripled from 814 to 2258 cases, according to a study conducted by UsableNet. Yet, the lack of specific regulations surrounding accessibility on the web created a grey area for online businesses, leaving the subject as an afterthought. This ruling could potentially pave the way for websites and mobile applications to view web accessibility as a necessity.
Jannik Groentved, CEO of Monsido, said, "Most websites avoid accessibility because of cost and uncertainty of how to implement it, but this new ruling is only helping sites rather than hurting them. What most people don't understand is that accessibility goes beyond legal compliance; your site will have better user experience, search rankings, a wider audience reach, and an overall improved reputation."
"While there are no firm requirements under the ADA for online businesses to comply with, there are international standards like the WCAG 2.1 that are clearly outlined and easily achievable with the right tools and resources. There are automated solutions out there that can ensure that your online business is kept accessible to all," he added.
For websites looking to avoid legal action, resources for web accessibility are readily available to the public. Last week, Monsido released its Accessibility Handbook, a comprehensive guide to the foundations of web accessibility for web managers with or without prior experience in the area.
