According to its website,the RNIB has served travel website bmibaby with legal proceedings. Apparently this is because it has a website that remains inaccessible to those using screen readers or those who can't use a mouse.
Yup, that's correct. After over a year of informing the company that has failed to make vital changes to its website to allow customers with sight loss to use their online services, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has decided to take the legal route.
It would seem from the online press release found on its own website that despite "receiving expert advice, recommendations and a full audit report from RNIB", bmibaby still hasn't made any real progress in this area. So RNIB has now served the company with legal proceedings.
The implications of this action are potentially huge. To date in the UK (that I'm aware of) there has been no public airing of the accessibility legislation all now wrapped up in the Equalities Act of 2010.
If this action does proceed, it could have far-reaching consequences for other high profile websites who continue to flout the legislation.
I think I can safely state that the eyes of the industry are now firmly focused on this case....
http://www.rnib.org.uk/aboutus/mediacentre/mediareleases/mediareleases2012/Pages/pressrelease27Jan2012.aspx
2 comments:
I will be watching this case with interest, as I had a friend many years ago, who had sight problems and learned a lot from them about the problems that the blind and partially sighted have.
It is time that these large corporations and businesses that should know better, really pay attention to the needs and wishes of the general public (and the law) - their potential clients.
Nicola
Thanks for your comment.
The case is definitely interesting as the legislation (Disability Discrimination Act and then the Equalities Act) has been known about for some time and most large sites should have taken some steps to ensure compliance.
Perhaps bmibaby has tempted fate by putting a statement on its site that it is working with the RNIB, when it seems to be ignoring them:
"Unfortunately our website is not fully accessible by people with sight problems, hearing, mobility and cognitive impairments. We are fully aware of this issue and are working alongside the RNIB to ensure our website is brought up to standard"
This is the first case I’m aware of, but perhaps companies have not given accessibility the attention it deserves so far, as nobody seems to have been dragged over the coals… yet.
That seems to be changing and big sites should take note.
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