DIGITAL BARRIERS AND ONLINE ACCESSIBILITY: A RIGHT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
- Camilla Mercadante
- 7 minutes ago
- 6 min read
In this hyperconnected world, digital access has become a civil rights issue. Virtual barriers—hidden obstacles in interfaces, unlabeled buttons, impossible-to-fill-out online forms—exclude people with disabilities from important information, services, and social and employment opportunities. This problem affects everyone who uses the internet, but especially those who already have mobility difficulties in the physical world. In this article, we'll explain why breaking down barriers is urgent, examine existing laws, and explore best practices and the disability community's battles for accessibility.
THE DARK NATURE OF DIGITAL BARRIERS
When we browse online, we don't notice the small pitfalls that can turn a simple action into an insurmountable wall. Digital barriers are precisely that: obstacles hidden in code and design that prevent anyone with a motor, visual, hearing, or cognitive disability from accessing a website or using an app. A form that can't be filled out with a keyboard, an unlabeled button, a video without subtitles are just a few concrete examples of how digital reality can unintentionally become exclusionary.
Imagine having to abandon an online request because the site isn't designed to be understood by your screen reader: for many, this means losing an essential service, a job opportunity, or access to vital information. Therefore, addressing digital barriers isn't a whim: it's a matter of justice and inclusion. In the following sections, we'll explore what legal tools and best practices can make them a distant memory.
DATA, STORIES AND LESSONS IN ADVOCACY
Recent research from the American non-profit organization ( https://afb.org/ )
The American Foundation for the Blind revealed that more than half of people with disabilities encounter barriers when shopping online, and nearly a third experience them frequently. The situation is worse with mobile apps: approximately 55% of users report recurring obstacles, and nearly a quarter are frequently blocked. Booking a doctor's appointment, ordering a meal, or completing banking transactions can turn into an ordeal: an unlabeled button, an unnavigable form, or an inaccessible CAPTCHA can bring the entire process to a halt. One North American survey participant reported spending more time figuring out how to bypass a blocked form than actually completing the order, underscoring how these barriers take away time and independence.
These stories aren't limited to North America: Vision Australia, an organization that works closely with blind and visually impaired people, lists common errors as unlabeled buttons, forms without descriptions, images without alternative text, and color contrasts that impede reading. Their experience shows that when a website or app isn't designed with everyone in mind, technology is a tool of exclusion rather than empowerment. In many countries, lawsuits over inaccessible websites have increased in recent years, demonstrating that this is not just an ethical but also a legal struggle. Yet, numbers alone aren't enough: they show us the way, but change comes from action. The history of the disability rights movement shows us that nothing was given for free: after four years of waiting, in 1977, over 150 activists and their allies occupied the Department of Health, Education, and Human Services (HEW) headquarters in San Francisco to demand the implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act , which prohibited discrimination in federally funded programs. The occupation lasted twenty-eight days and concluded with the signing of the regulations on April 28, 1977, marking a major victory. This event represented a turning point, paving the way for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The advocacy of leaders like Judy Heumann made it clear that digital accessibility is a civil rights issue. The principle “Nothing about us without us” reminds us that policies and projects that concern people with disabilities should be built with their direct involvement, otherwise they risk failing.
Modern activism also relies on simple language: if laws and information are written in complicated language, they remain inaccessible; translating them into understandable words means giving power back to society. Finally, activists call for collecting disaggregated data to convince governments and companies to act and to build alliances with civil rights groups, LGBTQIA+ groups, ethnic minority groups, and gender groups: because digital exclusion compounds other forms of discrimination.
What does all this teach us? That accessibility must be integrated into digital products from the very beginning—the so-called "universal design" —and that companies should adopt the WCAG guidelines , training their teams on these issues; that involving users of assistive technologies in all phases of product development is not an additional cost, but an investment; that publishing accessibility statements and enabling transparent feedback channels turns every reported barrier into an opportunity for improvement. And above all, that digital accessibility is a choice for social justice that strengthens international democracy.
GLOSSARY
Digital barriers: Obstacles that impede access to digital content. They may be caused by websites, applications, or content not designed for use by people with disabilities;
Advocacy: An activity aimed at defending, promoting, and supporting the rights and interests of an individual or group, especially the most vulnerable. In the context of persons with disabilities, advocacy includes the fight to ensure access to fundamental rights such as education, health, social inclusion, and digital accessibility. Activists promote changes in public policies by raising awareness and advocating for the implementation of laws protecting persons with disabilities;
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): International guidelines created by the World Wide Web Consortium to ensure that web content is accessible. WCAG covers various aspects such as color contrast, keyboard navigation, and the use of alternative text for images;
Color contrast: The difference in brightness between text and the background of a web page. Insufficient contrast makes text difficult to read, especially for those with visual impairments such as color blindness or reduced vision.
CAPTCHA: A security system used to verify that a user is not a robot. It often requires users to solve puzzles such as identifying images, letters, or numbers, but can be difficult for people with visual or cognitive impairments;
Disaggregated data: data separated by categories, such as age, gender, disability, race, etc. Collecting disaggregated data is essential to understanding how different people live the same experiences and to create more inclusive policies;
Rehabilitation Act of 1973: A U.S. federal law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in government-funded programs and activities. Section 504 of this law provides that people with disabilities must have equal opportunities to participate in programs and services, including digital technologies;
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 : Another U.S. federal law, passed in 1990, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of public and private life, including employment, transportation, access to public places, and communications. The ADA establishes that people with disabilities must have equal opportunities to fully participate in and benefit from society, including digital services, programs, and activities.
INTEGRATION AND INNOVATION: THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY
While activists have already achieved some positive results, including the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the creation of global guidelines like WCAG , the work cannot stop there. Advanced technologies, such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and brain-computer interfaces, present new opportunities but also new challenges. If not addressed properly, these could amplify inequalities rather than reduce them.
In the future, companies, governments, and organizations should collaborate to build a strong support network that actively involves people with disabilities in all phases of technology design. Our hope is to see and participate in a truly inclusive digital world, where every person, regardless of their abilities, has equal access.
CONCLUSION
Breaking down digital barriers is a challenge that concerns us all. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and WCAG are just the starting point: it's time to turn our awareness of accessibility into concrete actions. New technologies offer enormous opportunities, but also risks. It's our job to ensure these resources are accessible to everyone, without excluding anyone. Businesses, institutions, and civil society must work together to create a world that respects everyone's rights.
Share your experience or perspective on digital accessibility in the comments: Leave a comment below to share your experiences and tips on digital accessibility, share this article with anyone you think might be interested, and help us raise awareness. If you'd like to learn more, visit our blog ( ForAllWe.com ) to continue the conversation about wonderful digital rights. Do your part to build an internet that works for everyone!
SOURCES
Comments