[thelist] US Judge rules that ADA applies to websites

[Matt Warden]

On 9/11/06, Judah McAuley <judah at wiredotter.com> wrote:
> Judge Marilyn Hall Patel in the 9th District has ruled that the
> Americans with Disability Act (ADA) applies to companies public
> websites. Target tried to get the court to dismiss the class action
> lawsuit that complained that their target.com website violated equal
> access clauses of the ADA by not allowing blind users to be able to
> successfully shop and complete a transaction. Target argued that none of
> the US civil rights laws apply to the Internet, only physical
> structures. In this decision, Judge Patel ruled that the ADA does apply
> to Internet-based businesses and that the class action lawsuit can proceed.
>
> http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060907/cgth051.html?.v=55
>
> Now you can go to your clients and explain that having an accessible
> website is not only a polite thing, it may also keep you from getting sued.

I have been following this, but I somehow suspect that this is being
interpreted too broadly. I am waiting for a legal analysis of this,
because I really can't see this single decision forcing companies to
spend what would end up being a HUGE amount of money to make their
sites ADA compliant.

Specifically, the ruling is currently only applicable to sites which
enhance the physical side of the business.

See also: http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/09/224204

Interesting notes in Slashdot's comments:

This may not establish a precedent:
http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=196171&cid=16073367

This is not a decision but a refusal to dismiss the case:
http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=196171&cid=16073518



-- 
Matt Warden
Cleveland, OH, USA
http://mattwarden.com


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