[AUGUST 4, 2022 NEW YORK] The latest report by InsurTech company, AAAtraq (AAAtraq.com (opens in a new window)) on the Inclusivity of more than 600 Congressional websites shows that the majority of Congressional webpages are inaccessible to disabled users and that more than 9 out of 10 pages are vulnerable to litigation.
In today’s digital world, an organization’s website is just as important as their physical front door. For many, it is the first and last point of interaction with your organization/company. As such the design of your website is critical to your organization’s brand and its ability to survive.
Web developers are individuals/entities that create and maintain websites.1 Often contracted by 3rd parties (in this case your company being the client), web developers are responsible for creating, maintaining (in many cases), and testing the websites they service. Web developers can be sued for the inaccessible websites they create; however, the manner and rationale for said suit is a bit trickier to understand.
[JULY 27th, 2022 NEW YORK] AAAtraq, an InsurTech company, today announced its collaboration with the leading insurance pool in the mid-west, CLIC. The AAAtraq Risk Management Program (RMP) is now available to all CLIC members, and any Illinois public school district is eligible for the program via CLIC.
Tuesday July 26th, 2022 marks the 32nd anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
July has been another busy month for accessibility; with a mid-year report being released and it being Disability Pride Month.
Three years after the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, very few things are certain beyond the fact that life has forever been changed. Of the many adaptations to everyday life, one change that appears to be of a more permanent nature is the predilection to more flexibility in dining.
The largest minority group in the world is that of disabled individuals. Roughly 15% of the global population identifies as disabled, with roughly one in four American adults doing so.1 Inclusivity of disabled individuals into the economic sector remains a significant struggle for businesses.
External validation is a critical component of review for most organizations. External validation, as opposed to internal validation, holds greater credence in the review of work produced most closely associated with the internal activities of a business. Checking one’s own work can be problematic, as confirmation bias may veil the existence of real issues from being identified.
In June, AAAtraq released “Accessibility in Virtual Closings and Signings” (opens in a new window), the first part of a two-part series on how to make the closing process on real estate more accessible for disabled users. The former article focused primarily on the digital component of electronic closings (eClosing), particularly the different ways in which brokers and borrowers can engage in a closing that makes use of the digital format. The second part of the series, this article, will focus on the role of electronic signing (eSigning) in the process of eClosings and the subsequent preference for eSignings more broadly.
[JULY 1st, 2022 NEW YORK] Collective Liability Insurance Cooperative (CLIC), the leading insurance pool for school districts in Illinois, today announced its collaboration with InsurTech, AAAtraq; introducing a new risk management program for members, to protect them from the rapidly growing threat of litigation for website non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
New data released by the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy indicates that web inaccessibility is amongst the most prevalent issues facing disabled users of the internet. Not only does inaccessibility limit individuals’ ability to engage with websites, but it has also been linked to a lower level of employment and can be causal of lower socio-economic status. In recognition of such information, many prominent officials have recognized the need for change and have sent a letter to the Department of Justice hoping to generate some forward movement on the issue.
June sees more interesting articles around the topic of Inclusion News.
Last week, AAAtraq VP Partnerships & Commercial, Rob Andrews, had the pleasure of being part of a panel hosting a CE course for the Surplus Line Association of California (SLA) on ‘The Yellow Click Road: Perils When Operating In An Online Environment’.
It’s been four years to the day since 103 members of the House of Representatives wrote to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, calling on his Department to mitigate the amount of litigation resulting from violations of the ADA on the grounds of inaccessible content on websites.1
While many of the recent technological developments in articles discussed by AAAtraq were brought about by about the reliance on digital during quarantine periods of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of technology to engage in virtual closings in real estate and esignatures had already begun to ingratiate itself into modern real estate practice.
[JUNE 8th, 2022 NEW YORK] The latest report by InsurTech company, AAAtraq https://AAAtraq.com/ (opens in a new window) on the Inclusivity of more than 600 Congressional websites home pages shows that the majority of these pages are inaccessible to disabled users and that more than 9 out of 10 are exposed to litigation. The report also reveals the amount of money now being wasted by organizations on litigation costs – some $600,000,000 per month.
The simple answer: no! Widgets, as defined by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), are a “discrete user interface object with which the user can interact.” Widgets, and overlays, whose use is almost synonymous with that of the widget, engage with aspects of the website in the attempt to make it more user friendly and inclusive.
May, as always, has been a busy month for Inclusion news as we celebrated Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on the 19th.
Let’s face it: for most people, there is too much to do and not nearly enough time in a day to complete everything. For businesses, not only is time an issue, but the unfortunate reality remains that too many just don’t have the resources to cover their necessities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to websites in addition to physical premises – and a recent audit shows that 97% of real estate websites in California, do not meet the requirements of the ADA. Leaving them exposed to the risk of litigation which is already costing $600,000,000 per month in legal demands.
April has continued to bring us many news pieces covering digital inclusion. In the last month, we’ve seen some significant pieces which we’ll highlight for you below.
These highlights include new sectors and big businesses targeted with lawsuits in US courts, pieces on the link between accessibility and search engine optimisation and much more!
[APRIL 26, 2022 CALIFORNIA] In the latest report, released today by InsurTech, AAAtraq https://AAAtraq.com/ (opens in a new window) it was revealed that almost 9 out of 10 California restaurants’ websites are non-complaint with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), leaving them exposed to the risk of litigation by opportunistic lawyers.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to websites in addition to your physical premises – and a recent report shows that 96% of restaurant websites in California do not meet the requirements of the ADA. Leaving them exposed to litigation which is already costing $600,000,000 per month in legal demands.
Institutions of Higher Education prove to be among the most progressive sectors in the current market when referring to disability policy.
All too often, for far too many, the arrival of a demand notice is the first indication as to the importance of not discriminating online.
[April 6th, 2022, CALIFORNIA] The latest report by InsurTech company, AAAtraq https://AAAtraq.com/ (opens in a new window) on the Inclusivity of restaurants website homepages (ADA Audit) is to be released on April 26th, 2022.
On Friday March 18th, 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued new guidance on web accessibility and its relationship with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
The month of March hasn’t been a quiet one in terms of digital inclusion news. In the last month, we’ve seen some significant updates which we’ll highlight for you below.
On February 28th, 2022, over 170 disability organizations signed and issued a letter calling on the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to finalize rules relating to online accessibility.1
On Friday February 25th, 2022, United States President Joseph R. Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace retiring Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer.
Adam Bialek (Partner / Wilson Elser) looks at the barriers presented by non-accessible websites and materials, the impact and risk.
2021 was a year unlike any other. As the world came together to respond to the pandemic that was devastating human life as we knew it, politics pushed people further apart. In the U.S., 2021 began on a somber note.
Disability organizations call on DOJ to finalize online accessibility rules
[MARCH 1st, 2022 NEW YORK] The latest report by InsurTech company, AAAtraq AAAtraq.com (opens in a new window) on the Inclusivity of Top 100 Shopify websites (ADA Risk Audit) has been released. The report reveals more than 9 out of 10 of the Top 100 Shopify websites are non-compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), leaving them exposed to the risk of litigation by serial plaintiffs.
National law firm, Wilson Elser, will present a webinar on “ADA Compliance for Websites: Risk Mitigation & Defense Strategies”.
Multiple pieces of technology are used by restauranteurs to assist with activities such as digital reservation making, automated check payment, and order placement. Such technology has been ushered in by the Digital Age and has made it so that customers enjoy a more relaxed dining experience.
The last month has seen more topics around digital inclusion being discussed. The theme of litigation continues to dominate and there is unlikely to be an end to that anytime soon.
[FEBRUARY 22, 2022 NEW YORK] In the latest report, released today by Insurtech, AAAtraq, it was revealed that more than 9 out of 10 higher education institutions’ websites are non-compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), leaving them exposed to the risk of litigation by opportunistic lawyers.
Your homepage is your digital front door. Much like an apartment or a house, there is so much to see beyond the front door. Like a homeowner is responsible for their property, website owners are responsible for maintaining all parts of their website. Such parts include the areas of the site not often noticed by most users.
[FEBRUARY 16, 2022 NEW YORK] The latest report by InsurTech company, AAAtraq AAAtraq.com (opens in a new window) on the Inclusivity of more than 2000 Higher Education website homepages (ADA Audit) is to be released on February 22, 2022.
[FEBRUARY 15, 2022 NEW YORK] The latest report by InsurTech company, AAAtraq AAAtraq.com (opens in a new window), evaluated more than 550 websites operated by members and committees of the 117th United States Congress on their websites’ inclusivity.
The recent boom of the real estate market in the United States has demanded much from those brokers and agents responsible for its success. As the market expanded, so too did the need for accessible entries into the market.
As mentioned in our previous article (opens in a new window), the growth of disability is a reflection on the historical and continuous redefining of what it means to be disabled.
Today’s highspeed world demands that individuals seek out the most efficient and convenient avenues to obtain the goods and services that they use in their everyday lives.
July 26th, 2021, marked the 31st anniversary of the enactment of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, also referred to as the ADA. Today, over one billion individuals (roughly 15% of the global population) live with some type of disability, making it the single largest minority group in the world.1 Domestically, that fact is also true, as roughly 26% of American adults are living with at least one type of disability.2 Although the largest minority group in the United States, today, is those who identify as disability, historically that hasn’t always been the case.
2021 was a busy year for inclusion news, with a whole range of topics being covered. 2022 has also got off to an eventful start with some very thought-provoking articles covering the subject.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in the 2019-2020 academic school year, there were nearly 4,000 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States.1
Your website reflects your business: some are big; some are small; some are modern and some take more traditional approaches.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The headlines around online inclusion keep coming. Over the last month we’ve seen many topics being covered including sectors that previously haven’t had much of a spotlight.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
Recent news heading 'Sony Launches Brilliant Accessibility Website for PS5, PS4' - shouldn't the page be 'accessible' ?
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
AudioEye sued accessiBe for patent infringement (US10423709, et al.) as well as claims under the Lanham Act (false advertisement & product disparagement) and under New York State Law (product disparagement, tortious interference, etc).
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
The AAAdvent Calendar is helping to spread the festive spirit and the word about digital inclusion, every day we'll be unveiling a new window.
Preparations for the festive season are well and truly underway, with Thanksgiving having just been enjoyed and the attention now focusing on stockings and Christmas lights.
The last month has continued to bring us big stories on digital inclusion. We’ve seen articles focusing on different aspects such as eBooks and captions in the theatre industry, showing just how wide the topic of digital inclusion really is.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Rite Aid Corporation to Make Its Online COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Portal Accessible to Individuals with Disabilities
More than four months after a California federal judge ordered Domino’s Pizza LLC to make its website fully accessible to blind and visually impaired patrons, the pizza chain and a blind man who sued it for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) announced on Nov. 5 that they had reached a settlement in the five-year-old lawsuit.
Thirty-one years ago, the United States passed the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA, widely regarded as the cornerstone piece of legislation protecting disabled Americans from wrongful discrimination, established a national standard by which people, businesses, and the government are obliged to act in the pursuit of universal equity to access.
New Settlement Terms In Website Access Class Suit Preliminarily Approved
(October 13, 2021, 10:40 AM EDT) -- SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal judge in California on Sept. 30 granted preliminary approval of new settlement terms that will provide $112,500 in addition to injunctive relief in a class suit accusing a juice company of failing to offer a website accessible to those with visual impairments.
More articles focusing on digital inclusion have been in the media over the last month. We’ve seen a lot about technologies being rolled out by organizations to improve inclusion as well as the ongoing topic of overlays.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Lanzillo of the Western District of Pennsylvania granted lead plaintiff Anthony Murphy's unopposed motion to certify class for settlement purposes and for preliminary approval of class action settlement.
You received an accessibility demand letter in the mail. Now what?! Unfortunately, many businesses learn that their website or building is not accessible because they receive a demand letter in the mail.
It’s been another big month for digital inclusion in the news. We’ve not seen so much about the increase in cases over the last month, but articles have highlighted new sectors being targeted by lawsuits, as well as many other interesting topics.
For those that have heard of the stark increase in website accessibility lawsuits in the past few years, there has been a growing need for protection against these types of demand letters. There wasn’t a way to address it, until now. A new category has emerged: web accessibility insurance.
Like many states and cities across the US, the city of Vancouver in Washington, is evaluating the accessibility of facilities across the city. This includes the city’s buildings, parks and trails, streets, jobs, programs, services and activities.
In today’s digital first world, video content has become increasingly popular for marketing and communication purposes, and is an easy way to convey information.
Digital inclusion and website accessibility have continued to make headlines over the last month. News pieces have kept the same theme about increasing numbers of lawsuits, but have we also seen the first headlines of the next big ADA case?
The Gil v. Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. case has continued to make headlines in recent months with Gil filing in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, a petition for a rehearing en banc after the case had recently been focusing on whether Winn-Dixie’s website is a place of public accommodation covered by the ADA.
AAAtraq was delighted to join this month's working lunch with CLM (Claims and Litigation Management). The virtual meeting event is open to CLM members, including risk managers, claims adjusters, defense lawyers, EPL brokers, and carriers.
With the frequency of ADA website accessibility lawsuits increasing, we’re regularly seeing new articles in the media around this topic.
AAAtraq CEO, Lawrence Shaw, spoke to Lee Boyd on the FNO: InsureTech Podcast to talk all about AAAtraq, our service, ADA litigations cases and much more.
The judgment in the Winn-Dixie case has finally been revealed: those hoping to see legal clarity, and the establishment and big business that support those with disabilities, will be less than satisfied. But who is the real loser and what will the medium to long-term effect be on how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upholds the rights of the disabled to freely access digital content? Detailed review and article available, PDF (opens in a new window)
AAAtraq has been awarded the 2021 award for InsurTech innovation by business publication, Acquisition International.
Website accessibility company Nebula Media Group www.nebulamediagroup.com (opens in a new window) has partnered with AAAtraq to provide SMEs and smaller government entities with a fixed-price service that will ensure their online content remains accessible for the long term. AAAtraq’s ADA compliance service will be at the heart of Nebula Media Group’s solution.
AAAtraq CEO Lawrence Shaw has been the subject of a wide-ranging interview published in specialist magazine Tech Company News.
InsurTech company, AAAtraq (www.AAAtraq.com) (opens in a new window), has teamed up with AbleDocs (www.abledocs.com) (opens in a new window), enabling subscribers to more easily publish accessible documents on their websites.
We were delighted to see respected insurance publication Emerging Risks (opens in a new window) publish an opinion piece from AAAtraq on website content failure, and how this is rapidly becoming a corporate risk of note in the US.
Research suggests there may be a false sense of security amongst NASDAQ companies over ADA compliance - almost all of the biggest tech companies in the USA are failing to meet the necessary standards to ensure their websites meet ADA compliance regulations.
[Mar 24th 2021 | London] InsuTech company, AAAtraq (www.aaatraq.com), has completed its latest audit of how California schools are complying with the American Disabilities Act (ADA), with the results showing that the majority, despite efforts are falling short of their obligations and perhaps unwittily, being discriminatory.
Microassist Inc, a leading provider of digital accessibility and usability solutions,has announced it has partnered with AAAtraq. The partnership means that procurement customers will more easily be able to embed ADA compliance measures within their processes.
The Fire Agencies Insurance Risks Authority (FAIRA) in California and Nevada is enhancing support for its members by joining forces with AAAtraq a service that helps subscribers to reduce the costs and time to understand, achieve and maintain ADA compliance.
Hosted by CAL-ISBOA, the event will be run by national law firm Wilson Elser, who leads a legal panel created by AAAtraq, leaders in compliance identification and management services (CIMS).
'analysis of 10,000,000 websites revealed that 98 percent of websites failed WCAG compliance standards' Are executives being told 'what they want to hear' with those reporting, setting the metrics?
AAAtraq has entered a strategic partnership with Advantage Microsystems (https://advantagemicro.net), a leading provider of IT services to SMEs and non-profit organizations, to help clients reduce their cyber risk.
Summary of a few articles we have seen over the last week. Extracts with links to the full piece.
AAAtraq, has been named as a top 25 InsurTech Innovator for 2020 The distinguished hall of fame is researched and created by the US magazine Technology Innovators and comprises the sectors most prestigious leaders.
From sourcing through to monitoring, digital accessibility is a potential factor, so it is critical that the procurement team not only have a thorough understanding of accessibility but also carry out the necessary actions.
The first step to ensure ‘online’ ADA compliance is often the hardest. But once taken, the process of demonstrating reasonable adjustment and reducing risk for your organization from potential litigation has already begun.
Ablr’s 2020 Presidential Website Accessibility & ADA Compliance Report Identifies Multiple Violations on Presidential Campaign Websites for Donald J. Trump and Joe Biden. An estimated 26 percent of American voters, have a disability and may not have equal access and opportunity to browse campaign websites.
Effective digital policing needs to be the new norm for web accessibility – FORBES article We were delighted to see our CEO, Lawrence Shaw, feature heavily in an insightful Forbes article about the new Online Accessibility Act and how this is falling short of its original intentions.
ICRMA insurance pool partners with AAAtraq to protect members and improve ADA compliance.
ADA Compliance Increase Your Compliance Awareness Around ADA Website Laws & Regulations.
Cyber liability cover has developed as the fight against digital crime has evolved. However, Covid-19 has added a further dimension to the online picture. Remote working and the heightened is reliance on the internet has placed additional pressures on organisations to comply with laws governing digital content of all types. These new risks have increased and organisations now need to consider a more holistic form of cyber insurance cover, one that can cover the breath of 'content failure'
COVID-19 Moves ADA Compliance for Websites to the Forefront
Summer 2020 | ATTORNEY ARTICLE
Authors: Adam R. Bialek, Kara Thorvaldsen
With recent reports showing over 90% of websites fail accessibility compliance, online discrimination to a greater or lesser extent is still widespread. Perhaps of even greater concern is 71% of digital teams believing the matter is in hand. This complacency along with an adhoc approach is costing millions of dollars, failing to address the root cause of the issue and leaving far too many exposed to expensive litigation.
Wilson Elser Named First Law Firm on ADA Website Compliance Legal Panel, 30 Years After ADA's Passage Focus is now on Web Barriers for Disabled
An innovative digital accessibility compliance insuretch company, launched in 2019, has become the latest organisation to pledge support for Team BRIT.
Website owners will continue fail to meet the digital accessibility regulations unless there is a change from the present Ad hoc approach to compliance. Online discrimination continues to leave organizations exposed to in a number of cases, repeated litigation risk.
Digital accessibility more important than ever as there we see an significant increase and a reliance on the internet, especially those less able following Covid-19.
Digital accessibility technology company, AAAtraq (www.aaatraq.com), sees the reliance on the internet growing significantly, with recent events putting considerable focus into transacting online, meaning meeting digital accessibility guidelines will be more important than ever for US organisations.
A new InsurTech solution has been launched to help organizations demonstrate reasonable adjustment towards digital accessibility compliance, and ward off the threat of increasingly prevalent legal action in the USA. AAAtraq (www.aaatraq.com) is an automated compliance identification management system that allows organizations to understand their existing level of accessibility non-compliance risk exposure, and then work towards full compliance through a managed process.
The ongoing accessibility case involving Domino’s that has been dragged through the US lawcourts is almost a textbook example of how to damage your reputation and brand. The Domino’s brand is now tainted as a large corporation who doesn’t care about disabilities; we certainly don’t envy the task ahead for the Domino’s PR department.
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