ADA Website Compliance?

[DinaLRosenberg]

I've seen some instagram reels that businesses are getting sued for not being ADA compliant. Does anyone know if there is a third-party plug in for this? I'm getting sorta spooked.

[MudFire_Dex]

Same..I looked up the DOJ stats and there were something like 4500 lawsuits in 2023 I also wondered if this was a marketing ploy for the widget makers and tools to help because most have fees but I did sign up for the trial subscription with @MayaP 's suggestion https://app.squareup.com/us/en/app-marketplace/app/accessibility-widget and am working on figuring it out. It immediately helps the users of the site and I know somewhere I saw some other threads with tips as well. I have some questions I'll ask after a little more poking around as well.

[MudFire_Dex]

I think the other person with a lot of knowledge on the other thread was @Donnie-M 

[DinaLRosenberg]

Hmmmm it could be a sales ploy.. I'm so confused.

[MudFire_Dex]

There's a free trial and then $49 a month to use the widget it offers users a lot of options. Could be helpful for shoppers. Donnie raised a lot of good points in the other thread about the ways in which Square sites are compliant already. We decided to go ahead and install the widget because like you had seen others talking about it online.

[TCSlaguna]

Thanks for the recommendation @MudFire_Dex. I think it will be good to tryout and see what's up. However, I'd love to see Square integrate something like this themselves to help small businesses. 

[BellaSposa]

Agreed that Square should have this covered with the processor.  I've processed direct for over 30 years and my providers always offered an annual fee for that.  It's one of the many reasons I still am not accepting credit cards through Square.

[MudFire_Dex]

Installing the widget does make a lot of immediate improvements and makes site navigation easier for users but I am still getting an error that I don't understand since I'm not writing HTML for my Square site (and am rusty at that anyway having done it years and years ago). The accessibility tool is coming up with 74 'id' value errors. Duplicate 'id' values (Level A) Checks that every id attribute on a page is unique. Assistive technologies for both blind and mobility-impaired users need unique id values to interact with the page. Upon googling this I have no idea how to go about fixing in Square. It shifted us from 40% compliant to 88% compliant making changes to some images without alt image info that we missed and fixing a few other easy things like more contrast in images, etc.

[MALqueerhair]

My understanding is that the main issue is missing alt text on images, but curious if there are other accessibility requirements..

[MudFire_Dex]

Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA | ADA.gov - this has the full list of issues.

[atMerchant]

Considering there are programs out there for various disabilities to install on their computers to use, this seems like a sales ploy to me. 

For example, a program that reads the page for you. Reads what you scroll over. Etc.. That is not built into a website. But a separate program that user needs to have. Just like if someone needs a came to walk, that person gets/purchases a came. 

Unless you are the actual creator, blank website to full fledge website, then I don't see how we, as businesses should be held liable. 

Way too many due happy, get rich of the back of hardworking people out there. Sad. Truly sad. 

And if I am paying someone to do my site, the. That person best assure it is compliant. I'd look up the laws to see exactly what you are responsible for as a business, before becoming upset over a possibility. Don't create mountains you don't need to tackle. 

Best Wishes!!