Will I get Sued

by the blind if i dont use alt tags in my website?

Looks like the blind are launching a massive class action against big site's that dont use alt tags. I never knew that the americans with disabilities act made it illegal not to use alt tags!

Check out the link.... and yes I am being serious about this question. Do you think its a legitimate claim with merit?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/09/BAGQHH5H7D1.DTL&hw

 

By law it is indeed legit so yes, you should. You should anyway because it's a better optimized site like that.

But whether they will sue you anytime soon? I doubt it. They'll go after the big ones first as a 'promo' to get the word out.

 

It's not just alt tags - there is the whole accessability issue, which also includes correct labeling of form fields and even good colour contrast in your design.

I think the last official australian olympic site was sued for not being up to accessability standards. A lot of countries now have a leagle standpoint on this issue.

Everyone should be looking to create websites that cater to the needs of those less able than others eg people with severe motor disorders, who are unable to use a mouse and use a clicker to move from link to link on your site to navigate. If your site has 72 links per page it doesn't make your site too friendly.

 

bleh I thought it was baseless. I mean the simple fact it life dealth them a bad hand and nothing can be perfect, at some point they will have to rely on someone elses help No need to sue target over it. I mean equal access, wouldn't that mean the deaf have a right to sue the radio stations for not providing thier media to them?

I never knew the ADA applied to the internet, but only to physical places, like target's retail shop.

*sigh*

Not trying to sound cruel here, just trying to state the obvious that no matter how many lawsuits go on, there are limits.

 

Personally I think it's ludicrous. Harsh, but this is my opinion. I could be wrong.

 

Radio is only capable of delivering sound as a common media. Websites are much more sophisticated and come through some form of computer that can do so much more with the content.

Shame on you for being so negative.

For my part a lot of my sites go a long way to meeting accessablity standards. Some clients require it - it's in the brief they give me, and the end site is complient to at least article 3 of the w3c compliance guideline.

For a matter of good practice these guidelines actually make your sites better in terms of seo and usability eg:
w3c suggests that all links on a page have unique text. That means no repetative 'click here' and 'more' links. Exchange them for 'more about XXX' and 'click here for YYY'. That makes your site more SEO - so it's a good thing to do.

 

I think this whole issue and those laws are not really well thought out. What if I build a website that's not even usable for normal people because it has errors? Will they be able to sue me too? I should be able to decide on my own who may use my website. If I don't really care for people with disabilities to use it, then it's actually my problem. There is no law for websites to be done well using W3C standards, so why is there such a law for people with disabilities?

I think some folks are exaggerating here a lot... Just on the gold rush again. They should be thankful that we at least make those sites, and not sue us.

 

Oh what BS!!!!!!!

Come on man! Thats just nuts.

 

Tops is correct, it helps with google images as well if that interests you at all and is kind of good practice for seo so really you have little to lose by doing it.

 

sight impaired old man, I see lots of sites that are not even created for someone with full 20/20 eyesight!
Come, light red text on black?

Outlaw Black background and black template!

Yeah, so us older people can see!

Seriously, I believe the suit is against those retailers who have an online presence.
Their stores have to be ada compliant, so why not their websites?
I am all for it myself!

Of course, target can take their website down.
Not likely though.

 

In the UK and NZ - my only real frames of reference these laws are in place, but not fuly enforced yet.

Websites relating to government, and there for the citizens of that nation have to be accessable to everyone within that nation - as far as they can. Maybe their govenments are sharing the joy.

I'm not saying we should all upgrade our skills to make complient sites tommorow, but everyone should be aware that this is the future. If you are a professional web designer ie you or the company that you work for is employed / hired to create websites for others then you should be making your websites accessable as well as with validating code, and make sue that the website looks the same in all browsers.

And if you hire people to make your company website you should be future proofing your investment as much as possible.

There are approx 150 million blind internet users world wide. I forget where the figure comes from, some usability conference I attended I think.

Also most countries that are creating these laws are making their own standards up. Article 3 of the w3c accessability standards seems to be very close to most of them.

All that with standing it does make your site more SE friendly and more usable so why not do it - heck if you make great websites your probably 80% of the way there already anyway