Digital accessibility – i.e. making digital content and products more accessible for individuals with disabilities (e.g. vision, hearing, speech, cognitive) – has been in the headlines of late as tech firms vie to announce new accessibility features.

Only 2-3% of websites are considered accessible. A Feb 2021 report found that 97.4% of the top 1M web sites had detectable accessibility failures. This has facilitated a marked increase in digital accessibility lawsuits – there were 3,550 in the US in 2020 (up 23% over 2019). In contrast, there were just 262 cases in 2016.

“Accessibility overlays” have garnered attention as a quick fix to get businesses into compliance fast or respond to a lawsuit. They promise the ability to insert a line of 3rd-party code into a website to identify and remediate issues in as little as 24 hours. Lately, however, they are being accused of making it harder for people with disabilities to access websites.

The investments by big tech and social media firms are not just about making their platforms, products, and devices more accessible. They’re recognizing that accessibility isn’t necessarily about serving a niche segment – it can improve the product for everyone.