Websites Sued for Allegedly Leaving the Blind Behind

Hundreds of lawsuits targeting website operators are being filed on behalf of blind people. The suits accuse the sites of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by using visual prompts the blind can’t see. Some firms call it a money grab by attorneys.

Quinn Klinefelter/WDET

A myriad of business websites, government websites, college websites and even some promoting entertainers are facing criticism over how accessible they are to people with vision problems.

Many website operators have been sued by people who are blind.

They allege the visual cues used by some online outlets violate a blind person’s rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.)

Some online companies counter that the suits are just a grab for a big financial settlement.

Royal Oak attorney Michael Pitt tells WDET’s Quinn Klinefelter that it’s a case of applying the ADA to the digital age.

 

Click on the audio link above to hear the full interview

Author

  • Quinn Klinefelter is a Senior News Editor at 101.9 WDET. In 1996, he was literally on top of the news when he interviewed then-Senator Bob Dole about his presidential campaign and stepped on his feet.