At the start of October, the Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped some major news, and we wanted to make you aware as quickly as possible.
In a letter to members of Congress, the DOJ reaffirmed its longstanding policy that Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to website, though it declined to issue specific regulations on what websites need to do to comply with the law.
Key Takeaways:
* The DOJ still believes the ADA applies to websites, even if it is not acting to issue regulations.
* The lack of regulations doesn’t mean organizations don’t need to make their websites accessible.
* Organizations have a little flexibility in deciding how to make their websites accessible, but in most cases, working to meet WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria will be the best strategy.
* Litigation will likely continue to increase<https://learn.levelaccess.com/e/487581/n-up-24-percent-in-august-2018/2j336d/223970025> in the absence of specific regulations.
The DOJ’s letter is likely to lead to increased Title III litigation, but the ADA isn’t the only accessibility law you need to be aware of. Other laws, including the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Air Carriers Access Act, the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, and several other state and provincial accessibility statutes, also require organizations to make digital properties accessible to individuals with disabilities.
